Why Can’t I Enjoy My Children - Encouragement Café - October 7, 2016

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Why Can’t I Enjoy My Children
By Stephanie Davis
Friday, October 7, 2016

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 NLT

About a month ago, our hometown endured a major ice storm.  One like I’ve never seen before!  

Fallen trees and power lines down left us imprisoned and without power for several days.  Thank goodness for the modern conveniences of generators, gas logs and iPhone’s personal hotspots.  

Even though we were disconnected from our little piece of the world, I still had access to the social media world right at my fingertips.

Oh how excited I was, to know that within minutes I could see how my “friends” were coping with our present circumstances.  It wasn’t long until I found myself regretting ever getting online.  

My “friends” seemed to be making picture-perfect memories and there I sat, watching my husband and father-in-law with shotguns in hand, attempting to blast the ice out of the trees, while my precious little gifts from God acted more like they had just come from Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory!

If children are meant to be a gift from the Lord… if they were meant to be a reward… why can’t I enjoy them?  Why do I find myself wishing this stage in my life away?

Instead of enjoying this time of dress up, make believe, board games and baby dolls, I sit there longing for a day (or 10) that I can simply be by myself.  

Don’t get me wrong, I love my girls.  I really do!  They bring a sense of joy and innocence to my life that I otherwise would not have, but there are days when I endure them instead of enjoy them.

A quote from the Beth Moore Breaking Free Bible Study…

When we see ourselves as the center of the universe, we live in constant frustration because the rest of creation refuses to revolve around us.

Ouch…

This current season of life is only for a moment.  My oldest child is already six years old and therefore a third of my time with her has already past.  How much of that have I wished away simply because the responsibility interfered with “my” plans?

Luke 12:48 (NLT) says this,

When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

When I look at my girls it is obvious how much I have been given and through reading God’s Word, I am acutely aware of what is required of me.  He has entrusted these two precious little ladies to me and my husband and it is our job to see to it that we show them what it means to follow the Way (John 14:6) and walk in the Truth (3 John 1:4).

Two Scriptures come to mind when I think about how to accomplish this tremendous opportunity:

·      Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.  Proverbs 22:6 NLT

·      Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Deuteronomy 11:19 NLT

Sweet Heavenly Father…

Thank You for providing us with the picture perfect example of what it looks like to love our children.  And thank You for the grace You extend to us when we fail to measure up.  Father, forgive me for not seeing my children as the true gifts I know they are.  I pray that You would remove the selfish blinders I’ve allowed satan to place over my eyes.

Restore my joy!  Let me see this season of motherhood as something to be enjoyed rather than something to be endured.  Open my eyes to the teachable moments.  Give me the wisdom and patience needed to train them up in Your ways so that they will never leave Your precious side!  For it is in the precious name of Jesus that I ask these things, amen.

© 2016 by Stephanie Davis.  All rights reserved.

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