Kids are awesome!
You never know what is going to come out of their mouths. They constantly keep you on your toes. They exhaust you, try you, sleep-deprive you and add hot sauce to your life. That’s why so many of us decide we can’t live without them…and also have moments where we don’t know if we can continue to live with them.
They are experts at making the hair rise on the back of our necks, adding grey hairs while still in our 30’s, and making us feel like we are so inadequately prepared.
I never imagined when I held my babies cuddled up within my arms that they could outsmart me. Kids are really smart! Who knew? They somehow manage to tie you right around their little finger. They are so cute, you cannot help but fall in love. And therefore, find their adorable selves irresistible. However, despite those cute little dimples, there will be days when you find yourself at the end of your rope.
Our children come in all different shapes and sizes and so do the curveballs they throw our way.
Learning disabilities, temper tantrums, friendship debacles, peer pressure–you name it, there’s probably someone out there who is walking through it. Thank God there is some Scripture out there to help us through these seasons so that we don’t pull out all of our hair.
1 Peter 1:6 says, “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The word “various” in v. 6 literally means “many-colored.” In the NIV it is translated as “all kinds of trials.” The word that is translated “trials” means “adversity or problem.” So, let’s break this down a tad. What Peter is saying, in effect, is this “I realize you’ve got issues.” He’s not just talking about persecution and looming death, but he also means figuring out homework, learning appropriate boundaries, dealing with negative influences, drudging through sleepless nights, handling friendship drama and overcoming disappointing situations. Do I hear an AMEN?”
Scripture makes it real obvious that we will face difficulty. This life isn’t always peaches and cream. After all, when Jesus told the story of the wise and foolish men in Matthew 7 who built their houses, do you remember what common experience both men shared? That’s right. They both faced a monumental storm that shook the foundations of their life.
I remember days when I thought I could not bear another day of my current aggravation. When I could barely put one foot in front of the other. My mom would always keep on encouraging me, “It’s just a season. It will surely pass.”
Little did I know my mom was reiterating Scripture, reminding me this trial will only last for a little while.
A little while. You can do anything for a little while. What a great reminder! No matter how bad our situation is, we can take solace in the fact that it’s not going to last forever. Our problems, by their very nature, are only temporary. They can only last as long as this earthly side of eternity. We should never become too attached to this world’s pleasures…nor its varying growing pains.