When You're Broken
Yโall. I snapped at kids before dinner last night. There were many factors including too much screen time, miscommunication, unmet expectations, and the natural wild noisy chaos of having children.
๐ฟBut NONE of those aspects stripped me of that which Jesus has created me for. None of those stole my salvation, or even my sanctification. Absolutely none of those aspects had any bearing on my worth and value, or my ultimate purpose to glorify God.
๐ฟAnd yet I allowed momentary inconveniences to overshadow my eternal calling.
๐ฟIโm no longer #OnlyHuman. I have been infused by the Holy Spirit, covered in the power of Christ, and I have the absolute promise that God is faithful, and will not let me be tempted beyond my ability, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape. (1Cor 10:13).
๐ฟBut ๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ โ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ,โ pushed aside the ever-ready offer of heavenly peace, and caused the image bearers of Godโwhom He has commissioned me to safeguardโto be wounded by my frustrated words, rather than for them to see Jesus in me.
๐ฟYes, all mothers get frustrated. All children can be annoying at times. People get tired and respond irrationally. I understand that. Yet if I use those aspects of humanity as excuses for why my old self suffocated my reflection of Christ, I have in effect crucified Jesus all over again for that which He already paid.
๐ฟ๐๐จ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ ๐ ๐ ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐? ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ. ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ, ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ, ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ. Not for forgiveness, as my sins were paid for long ago. But to confess, expressing sorrow over my sin, with my heartโs prayer agreeing with God about who I am, who He is, and who He has called me to be.

๐ฟAnd then to the little ones I sinned against. To reflect Jesus to them in the way I pursue unity, and peace with humility.
๐ฟAnd then I go to my circumstances and make some changes. I must re-order my day to negate similar contexts in which it is so easy to fall into this sin again. I must communicate clearly the areas in which I need assistance. And I must pray all the more fiercely for the preemptive grace to see a the route of escape alongside the coming temptation, and humility to take the righteous path.
๐ฟAnd right now that looks like a mommy timeout, and extra kisses at bedtime.

๐ฟ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ค๐๐ง, ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ. ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ค๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ๐.
๐ฟAnd so, my friends, I wish to share my brokenness with you, in hopes that it would lead you to know God more, as that is what His sovereignty has done for me.โค๏ธ