Have you ever wondered why God chose you to parent your child? Have you ever felt completely unqualified for the task at hand?
I know I have.
Not too long ago, it was an orange that pushed me over the edge.
Earlier that morning, my oldest child had woken up late and struggled to get ready for school. We were running behind. It was 7:30, fifteen minutes until time to head out the door. He hadn’t made his bed, eaten his breakfast, or put on his shoes.
All I asked him to do was take a bite of the orange. It wasn’t some impossible task.
But on this particular morning, my typically obedient child wasn’t interested in doing what I asked.
“I’m so tired, Mom,” he told me while picking at the orange in front of him.
And that’s what pushed me over the edge.
I lost my temper over an uneaten orange.
It’s pretty crazy, isn’t it…the things that make us lose our tempers sometimes.
And on this particular day, after repenting before my child for losing my cool, I asked God once again why He chose me for this very important job of raising these kids he blessed us with.
That’s when God reminded me about some of the other people He chose to use.
God used Rahab, a prostitute. He used Mary, an unwed teenager. He used Ruth, a foreigner.
In God’s Kingdom, you don’t have to be perfect to be used by Him. You just have to be willing. (Click to tweet this.)
The truth is, I’m not the perfect parent. Neither are you. But God doesn’t require us to be perfect.
What He’s looking for is willing hearts, not perfect ones. (Click to tweet this.)
God chose us for our kids.
He chose us because He believes we are the best people for the job.
Your child, that child that drives you bonkers sometimes, was hand-picked for you by the God who can see into the future.
He knew you would be the best person to raise your child.
So this week, when you’re feeling inadequate, when you’re feeling like a failure as a parent, when you’re struggling with your kids, remember God chose you for a reason.
He chose you because He believes in you.
That’s my challenge for you this week: believe in yourself because God believes in you.
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About Searching for Sanity:
Have you ever looked at your beloved children and wondered: What in the world am I doing? Why did God trust me of all people to raise them? Motherhood is the most difficult job many of us will ever take. Moms today are busy, overwhelmed and stressed. Many feel under qualified.
Searching for Sanity offers moms an opportunity to take a breath, dig into the Word, and learn from parents of the past. In short devotions designed for busy moms, this book explores the parents of the Bible both the good and the bad. Some of the parents within the pages of God’s Word set great examples for us to follow; others made huge mistakes. In Searching for Sanity, you’ll learn from both.
The wisdom of God’s Word, paired with the experiences of another mother-in-training, will help moms find sanity in the midst of chaos.
