Freedom in Parenting

Lot’s of stuff in 1 Cor 3 today. But before I start, a new aspect of yesterday’s journal caught my attention…

1 Cor 2:11-12 – continuing from yesterday….

No one knows God’s thoughts but His Spirit.
He has given me His Spirit, and thereby He reveals His thoughts to me.

Question: Am I trustworthy with God’s thoughts?

Measures of Spiritual Maturity
1 Cor 3:2-3

Paul says of the Corinthians “You are still not spiritual, because there is jealousy and quarreling among you, and this shows that you are not spiritual. You are acting like people of the world.”

When we are jealous and quarreling (such as my kids are doing) this shows spiritual immaturity and that jealousy and quarreling are controlled by the sinful nature (“… you are still carnal…” NKJV says).

Planting, Watering & Growing
1 Cor 3:5-8

I can plant. I can water. Both of those are my job. God and God alone is responsible for the growing. That is very freeing when I place it in the context of parenting. I am not responsible for the spiritual growth of my kids. All I can do is plant and water, plant and water… sow, sow, sow. Papa is responsible to make it grow. That’s very freeing.

There is lots more in chapter 3, but I’ll post about it later, because I want to do a deeper study on foundations.

Running to the Stronghold

Psalms 9:9-10, “The Lord is a refuge for the opressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you,  for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”

This verse really hit me tonight as I read it. I don’t feel opressed or in trouble, but trust is a difficult issue for me. I have trust issues, not with people I know and who are my friends or family, but with God…and new people, but that’s another story.  It’s the dumbest thing to me, I know He has always provided for me. I’m happily married, have a good job, amazing friends and family and more than I need. But when it comes to decisions that I need to make I have a hard time trusting that Papa is going to take care of me. I guess that’s the reason this verse stuck out to me, it’s a rhema strike on trust for me. A reminder of Duetoronomy 31:6, that He has never left me and never forsaken me. I needed to hear this, thank You Papa.

Father, my only source of sustanance and provision, I’m so sorry for not trusting you wholeheartedly and unconditionally. I confess my lack of trust, I see how it has weakened me in my walk. I ask that You would come in and inhabit every last inch of my mind and thoughts. Forgive me, O God, forgive me and hold me close or I won’t make it past these words. I need You, take care of me I’m not capable. I love You, You are my stronghold, I run to You.

Sometimes it sucks.

Who am I to think it’s going to be great all the time.  The letter that Paul wrote to the Philippians is real good, and yet I know that I don’t really get it all.  He writes to them in ch. 3 about “rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.”   Wow….. so he’s saying, (ben version)  I know that things suck right now but rejoice, and I know that they are going to suck later too so, rejoice then also.
Man for such good word, it almost makes me not want to hear to said to me.  The flesh in me says,  “If tells me “rejoice” then I can assume bads things are coming soon.”
But why shouldn’t they.  Why shouldn’t I expect to have hard times.  Whether that be financially or physically or even spiritually.
Christ went through all of that.  He never had lots of money, but HE wasn’t worried about it.  Because HE knew that HIS Daddy would provide.  Even if it meant HE would have to get it from the mouth of a fish.  HE also suffer physically.  Isaiah 53:10 “It pleased the Lord to bruise HIM (Christ)”  If Father had no problem doing that to Jesus then who am I to think that I won’t encounter ailments or sickness or broken bones, etc.  Daddy is way more concerned about my spiritual heart than my physical one.  I use to be in habit of always praying for healing for someone when they are sick, but over the past year or so I have learned to know pray for Father will.  Because it may be His will for that person to be sick or hurting.  HE’s big enough to be able to use that sickness for HIS glory.   So why should I pray against that?

I know that sometimes it’s going to be hard.  James even says, “Count it all joy when you fall in to various trials….”  Not that the trial will be fun, but the end result will be better than the first.  It about realizing that it not about me being happy.  It has to be about HIM. period.  I have to trust HIM enough to know that He has plan and trust that it is a good one.  Truly accept that HE is Good.  The problem I have is my scale of what is good and bad is based off of what I was raise with.  My scale of what is good and bad does not match HIS…..

Father, help me to see that YOU are Good all the time.  Because I know that right now I don’t truly get that.