Patience Perseveres

Patience and perseverance go hand-in-hand like peanut butter and jelly, cream in coffee, cheese atop French bread.  You really need one in order to effectively (or in the case of food, enjoyably!) have the other. This could never be more true than in our roles as moms.

There is so much we wait for as moms, huh? We wait to get through difficult stages, phases and seasons but those times are as necessary as the wonderful times we relish in because we’re parents, and in our job, lays a mixed bag of challenges and joys that we experience, face, teach, handle, and yes, even put up with. Our bags may look very much the same in some ways yet contain things that are uniquely characteristic of our own lives. Sometimes the contents can feel like weights though they ought not to weigh us down. Ahhhh, big distinction, right?

When we look at the bigger picture of what our role is and what’s involved, we know that piece by piece, if we were to break down our jobs, that there are many facets to our parenting. Yes, there are days and phases we can’t wait to get through nor wait to witness change in.  First steps, sleeping through the night, temper tantrums, waiting for life’s lessons to kick in, understanding to resonate, responsibility to take shape. We wait for so much in our own lives and even more in the lives of our children. Not that we can control our lives, but dealing with ourselves seems so much easier since we are in control of our own selves but not so much in control of our children…especially as they grow older and form their own ideas, habits and practices. As a result, our jobs can sometimes feel tougher.

So where do we go with all this? Is this just good jargon for a journal entry or can we take something away to anchor into a little more deeply? How do we wait or endure through the various seasons that come with our roles? Some of us are dealing with some pretty tough stuff.  How do we wait with hope and expectation and not  anxiety, worry and fear?

We know that God has appointed us in our roles and like any boss, chief or commander, will equip us with what we need in order to do our jobs well. Part of doing our jobs well is believing and knowing that God’s plans for us and for our children are good ones, by His authorship. That doesn’t mean everything good will happen to them, but I think it means that everything necessary for His good within them will, and He has appointed YOU to guide them on their journey. And that, dear moms, is a perspective I think we have to have so that we can have the patience to endure through the challenging parts.

Your job is to deliver your child to the finish line of his lifelong race with discipline, love and instruction. If you keep you eyes on that “unseen” faith that the author of Hebrews writes about (faith being something that we believe and trust to be true though unseen), I believe whole-heartedly, that God will develop patience and perseverance in you so you can run the race well with your child. You are on the path that God has marked out for you and you have the child(ren) that He has given you. If you focus on Him, I can promise that He will develop patience and perseverance in you, and the chaos on the sidelines, all the things in those mixed bags, will become secondary. They will take their rightful place on the sidelines and remain there and won’t define your child’s path (nor yours). What will be defining is your faith, patience and perseverance in your child’s life as he/she runs the course. So keep running. Keep cheering. Keep patiently persevering. It will be the best gift you give your child and yourself.

Then celebrate with some milk and cookies.

Scripture References

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews, 11:1)

“…let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

“Love is patient, love is kind.” 1Cor 13:4