“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
As a SAHM of a three year old and one year old, there are days when I think I might lose my mind. Typical scenario: The one year old crying and clinging to me, the three year old pooping his pants (as we undergo potty training) and then throwing a tantrum for me not to clean him up. Most of the time I can keep my cool, but some days, tension mounts and I just snap…can you relate?
The other day I put my two kids to bed, and then had to go into their room three times in a row, as my three year old son just wouldn’t settle down. The third time that I went into his room, I scolded him, and what he did next broke my heart. He covered his face with his hand and then crouched down in the bed. It’s as if he thought that I was going to actually hurt him or something. I’ve never hit my son in the face. I’ve only ever spanked him on the leg or bottom (and never leaving a mark or anything). So it broke my heart for him to cower in fear.
It was then I realized that I needed Jesus’ grace to forgive me for the times that I’ve spanked him in anger. Apparently for a three year old, he can’t differentiate between a spanking in anger on the butt or getting hit somewhere else. Either way, I felt very ashamed and wanted to cower in shame for the times I’ve lost my temper with him.
In my shame, Jesus lifted me up. He reminded me of the Bible verse that says that “His mercies are new each morning.” I humbly asked His forgiveness and asked for help to never spank my son in anger again. The next day I also apologized to my son and reminded him that I would never hit him in the face or hurt him.
As mothers of littles, there will be times that we will lose our temper with our children, but it is important that we use those instances to learn and grow. It is important that we meet Jesus at the foot of the cross and humbly ask for His forgiveness, and turn from our sins. In so doing, I guarantee that He will meet you where you are and offer His precious peace and pardon, reminding you that today is a new day, full of grace and forgiveness.
Wow I love this! I feel like your posts are devotionals. And I applaud you for your raw and unfiltered honesty. I have had so much guilt as a mother in many different circumstances. I agree that motherhood is constantly humbling myself and not only asking forgiveness to God but often to my children. What an incredible blessing the each day God graciously offers a fresh clean slate and we can let go of all that guilt and shame with his help!