This Mama Bear is praying to Abba Father - when your kids suffer


You know, when you go through stuff yourself it stinks, until later when you look back and you see God was holding you all the time. You begin to see how he was weaving a story in your life that would eventually be an encouragement to others. You end up loving those opportunities like no other, because what could be more joyful then bringing hope to someone especially when you know what that kind of despair feels like.

It's a completely different thing when it's your kids. You know the truth, you know that God loves them more than you ever could, and you know that walking these ropes is strengthening them for an amazing call on their lives.  

Well, I have no excuse. But I'll be honest, it can make me feel angry. I never felt angry with my own struggles, ever!  But the "mama bear" thing comes out in you when it's your babies, even if they are grown.  And as much as I know God is holding them, in my flesh I absolutely hate it, and it absolutely makes me angry, I want to kick and scream at the enemy and say "leave them alone!"  And sometimes, that is what we need to do!  And then I find myself praying to the Lord, "You're their protector, and you're making them stronger in this."  A friend reminded me it is OK to have anger.  The Bible says to "anger and sin not."  It's OK to be angry for others, for your kids, as long as you share your anger with God, and not towards God.  He knows our emotions.  The Father Himself had to watch His Son die!

I read some verses this morning, Psalm 126:5, "weeping may last for the night but joy comes in the morning." How many times do you know of people who speak of joy after long-suffering. Who is a better example than Jesus Christ himself?   We are about to celebrate the ultimate victory, joy after complete despair, His resurrection!

I also came upon my favorite chapter in the whole Bible this morning, Acts 17, where it talks about the fact that God is right there all around us even though we can't always see him, and then Paul goes on to say,  "in him we live and move and have our being." That refreshes my soul, it's only in Him, and I know that my kids believe that it is in Him.  They demonstrate great faith and perseverance, and I have seen the answers to my daily prayers out of Colossians chapter 1, "Lord let us discern Your will, and bear fruit that brings You glory, all because you have adopted us into your family through the blood of Jesus."

So God opens my eyes in the middle of my anger. And I'll be honest I still feel frustrated, but it is outweighed by the fact that I know His love is far greater, and is far more powerful than my anger. He is so sweet to meet me here, and remind me of his sovereign loving care. And he lets me see how he is lifting them and strengthening them.

I remember one day when my dad said to me,  "I know the struggle is hard on you but I just love knowing that God is at work."  It felt a little strange, and yet comforting, that my dad was telling me that he was OK with my struggle, because he knew God was in it.  Don't we all need to hear that?

I'll end now with a song that I was just listening to on the treadmill. It's called Touch the Sky by Hillsong, and it's really true, when our knees hit the ground and we surrender, He is our all, and it's beautiful.  We don't want our kids clinging to us, to other people, to achievements, to anything/one but God. It is grace that reminds us that this is what God is up to, He's up to the ultimate Fathering of our children.  Signed,
Mama Bear

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