From One Mom To AnotherDecember 2017
Mom to Mom
I’d like to share with you some insight into strategy that we often have to fight against that impedes our success and growth. If we compare life to a race, the easiest way for us to be defeated is to keep us apathetic and indifferent so that we just don’t try. We don’t enter the race. But, if that doesn’t work on us, and we get excited and determined to put our all into the race, the enemy may try this strategy against us. It is often undetected because it appears to be good. We get so excited and try to move forward so fast that we can’t get our feet under us. It is as if someone put their hands on our back and shoulders and shoved us forward. The result is that we fall flat on our faces. Either way, the race for that moment is lost whether we don’t try or we try too hard, the outcome is the same – FOR THAT ONE MOMENT.
Thank God for that verse that says a righteous man may fall seven times but he gets back up. for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again.. Prov. 24:16-18
To put this in practical terms… Physically: Either we don’t exercise, or we start with a goal that is impossible. We meet that exercise goal for a day or two and then give up. Spiritually: Either we don’t read and pray, or we get excited and decide to get up before the sunrise to pray and read many chapters of the Bible just to fall asleep and get discouraged and quit. After running numerous races in many areas in that fashion that end in a face plant, we then fall into the less painful style of running that is characterized with never entering the race and nursing our wounds by living in apathy.
For most of us, our lives are not a 100m sprint but rather a long distance run or jog. To finish the race, we must pace ourselves, or we will end up defeated and out of the race completely. We all love to win a competition, to do so in life and parenting: be wise and set reachable goals in your parenting, housekeeping, personal discipleship, physical fitness, etc. You may fall, but get back up and try again. The sooner we identify the traps, the easier to keep trying. Surrender the race, the process and the success to God — finish the marathon strong.
Another strategy to defeat us in parenting is through discouragement and guilt. I have mentioned it before, but I want to share something with you that you may find helpful as you search for ideas and suggestions. It happened to me this past week. I was talking with someone about holidays and my approach to some of them. Then I heard another approach that I had not used. Suddenly, I felt the temptation to feel guilty. I share this to illustrate to you how relentless the enemy can be towards us. Guilt and discouragement! What a trap set by the enemy of our souls! I have four adult daughters that made great choices and love the Lord – yet somehow I felt a wave of guilt. Oh my goodness! That is crazy. But, take it as a warning that guilt is a temptation that can raise its ugly head at any point in time, no matter how ridiculous it may appear. Keep your guard up as if you are in war. Also, if I share ideas, know that they are not intended to cause guilt. They are intended to offer ideas that may help you on this path.