What a difference a few days can make. The power of prayer is phenomenal. These past few weeks have stretched us way beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Yesterday was calm. This morning before school was calm. I am looking forward to these next two weeks of them off school to practice what I’m about to tell you.
A friend posted today about some lack on her part of some of the Fruits of the Spirit. For those of you not familiar here are the Bible verses from Galatians 5:22-23:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law
All of us here are in a refining process. We are being refined by Yahweh to be our best for Him. This fruit of the Spirit – His Fruit – gives us something to work towards. So we can be more like Him.
When I read what she wrote this morning I realized how far I’ve come yet how far I have yet to go and how Yahweh has truly blessed us by not only giving us these 4 Ukrainian teens but all of the associated problems they brought with them.
I read yesterday how problems should be looked at as opportunities. I glossed over that until this morning when I realized that these so-called problems we’ve been dealing with have actually been opportunities for Tom and I to grow our Fruit. That we’ve been looking at it all wrong.
That we were doing “for” them when in actuality it has been Yahweh doing for us. Giving us the opportunities to grow ourselves more like Him.
How dense to miss that for so long. Ugh! I look at those Fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It’s time to check myself. I’ve been so centered on fighting fires that I’ve overlooked the real message, the real mission.
And to remember that I lead by example. How can I expect any of my children to do what I say and not what I do? How can I expect them to show self-control when I don’t? How can I expect them to control themselves when someone is egging them on when I don’t? Whoa!! BIG WAKE UP CALL!! What a beautiful opportunity to show not only the 4 Ukrainians but my other children as well. How can I expect my beautiful daughter to have patience when I don’t?
I want peace in my home and realize that peace must come from me before I can expect it from them. They don’t know what the word patience means and the only way they will learn is by watching me. Am I kind? Gentle? Joyful? Ahhhhhhhhhh……. I realize that I’ve allowed the enemy to steal it all away and in so doing it has been stolen from my family as well.
So thank you to my friend Carol for reminding me about this most important passage in the most wonderful book. To remind me that it is my example that is most important and it’s time to step up and be more like Yahweh. To remember that love is an action and teaching love is what I’m supposed to be doing.
So today I choose to be grateful for my circumstances which give me the opportunity to grow in these amazing Fruits! Today I am grateful for the reminder of what’s really important. Glory to You, my Amazing God!
