The Fruits Of the Spirit

Over the years, I have spoken with my children of my need for Christ. I speak of failures, I confess, and I tell them of God's great mercy and grace to me. I have told them if they ever see sin in my life I want them to lovingly come tell me. 

Sometimes I get a tap on the shoulder and a whisper in the ear, other times a child will bring me to another room to talk to me. My children have always been so kind and gentle with their words when they approach me with sin they see in my life.

The past few days I have been pondering in my heart the fruits of the Spirit and my role as a mommy. 

 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." (Galatians 5: 22:23)

The Lord had already been convicting me on each one but two in particular. 

Faith.

I have failed my children in this area. I so often will tell them we are doing something and fail to make it come to pass. For example, Fridays are days off of school. I told the kids this year on Fridays we will have fun days together. Crafts, field trips, playing games, just some good 'ol time together enjoying one another. But when Friday rolls around, I look around and see something that needs to be done in the house saying to the kids we have to work instead. But truthfully, what I am doing is breaking my word to them, not being faithful, and telling them a house cleaned is better than quality time with them.

God is so faithful to me, in spite of the messiness of sin in my life. He doesn't send me away when I go to Him in prayer, when I come to worship Him on the Lord's Day.

So yesterday, I take each child to the side and read the Fruits to them. I tell them I want them to tell me the fruits they feel I am "not doing well".

Each child gave the same answer.

Temperance (Self control).

I knew I had already been failing with temperance. The Lord has been convicting me.

Each child said lately I have been harsh with they way I talk to them. They said for the past few weeks it seems like I get irritated a lot easier.

It is true. I have had a lot going on in my mind, I have prayed and confessed to the Lord. But when a moment arises, the kids are quarrelling, I snap at them. A job is not done, I get frusterated.

Just Monday I had a little temper tantrum. One of the children was practicing piano and I went to put the metrononme on for them.

No tick and no tocks. Just swaying back and forth.

I immediately call the rest of the children in and proceed to tell them I want all of their money, I tell them they will be working to pay for a new one. All with a harsh voice. One child was crying, the others just stood there.

See how sinful I am and in need of a great Savior!!!???!!!

Last night as AJ was fast asleep in the bed next to me, the kids were warm and snug in their beds, I cried out to my Lord, to once again, please forgive me. I cried for mercy. His strength. I prayed for Him to shine through me.

This morning I awoke, praying once again that I would show Christ to my children, in spite of the happenings of the day. I also woke up not feeling well.

Today, I have 5 tired children. Which any of you with younger ones know how a tired child can be. 

I thank God for the opportunity to be sanctified through this day. Persevering, not in my strength, but the Lord's, to make this a day with no harshness in my tone of voice. 

I sat with the children and we prayed confessing our need for Christ and His help today to be gentle and long-suffering with one another. 

So far, the kids have done well after our prayer time. Except one who is in the bedroom hopefully praying.

We shall see how the day goes. There is much to be done. We have company coming tomorrow for the weekend, and possibly one tonight. Next week we leave for family vacation. Lots of pressure to get things done.

But Ishall rejoice in the Lord and persevere. Repent. Pray. And continue to depend on the strength of the Lord, because in my own strength...I WILL fail!

Please pray for me. Pray I would be faithful to my children, have soft answers always. And more importantly, that I would honor the Lord.

How about you? How do you struggle as a mommy? When you read the Fruits of the Spirits, do you see your own failure? 

May we be in prayer for one another, going before the throne of God, loving and holding one another accountable as we "walk" this life "together" seeking to honor and glorify the Lord, growing more and more in our love for our great God, bearing much fruit of the Spirit for His glory.

By the way, remember that tamper tantrum over the metronome? It wasn't broken...just needed to be winded.