Mom Heart Moments #167

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

LIFE IS A CONSTANT CHALLENGE, every day, all the time. Things quit working, someone makes a mess, a situation just isn’t fair. But what can make it worse is children and adults who whine and complain all the time. The habit of whining and complaining turns quickly into an attitude of self-absorption, which destroys hope, light, and beauty.

Of course, it is not wrong to be sad or depressed because of a tragedy. God is the One who gave us the ability to have emotions. We all long for and need people who will sympathize with us, to comfort us for the pain, brokenness, and injustices in life. God Himself wants to comfort us, and we heal more quickly if we have someone to help bear our burdens.

We have the opportunity to work with our children in hard or unfair situations to help them learn to be strong and mount up over their difficulties. This is what character training is all about —helping our children become stronger one day at a time. It is our will that chooses to have faith in God, that learns how to persevere under trial, that chooses to love the unlovely, that shows generosity to the needy. The will is what makes heroes, strong marriages, and legacies of faithfulness.

As we gently enter into the recesses of our children’s hearts and understand their feelings, we can then teach them to be strong inside, but with tender, grateful hearts. Our attitudes are the place where real strength and spirituality are expressed. When we approach our children with attitudes of gentleness and patience, we lead them to embrace these same patterns.

This week, look at your own heart. Is it joyful? Are you modeling to your children an uncomplaining spirit?