Grace Upon Grace
By Elizabeth Behrens | Category: Pursuing God, The Journey of Motherhood
I’ve been increasingly frustrated with my 3-year-old lately. There are some basic house rules we’ve laid out. She knows them. She understands them. She can follow them. But daily, hourly, even minute-to-minute she chooses not to. And it makes me want to pull my hair out.
Why, oh why, sweet child would you dump water all over the floor…again. And why are you throwing a fit about what clothes I picked out on Sunday morning when you know it’s the one day a week I get a say in what you wear. And why did you escape out the back door again. And why did you dig up the plants in my garden. Why, why, why!
So I correct, discipline, love, occasionally yell, cool down, and move forward. It’s a cycle that I find myself repeating over and over again daily.
But I will admit that it infuriates me. I’ve found myself looking into her eyes and begging her to just obey the rules I laid out. They are for her good! How can she not see that?
And then I again find myself on my knees as God ever so lovingly speaks to me, “Do you not see? She is you! I am your heavenly Father. And I never cease to have to discipline you.”
And so he grants me patience for another day of looking into the mirror of my own heart. The rebellion I have learned to hide inside is so visible in the actions of a 3-year-old. But I am no less sinful than she. I’m no less rebellious.
If only I could learn to show my daughter the same amount of grace that has been shown me.
“And from His fullness we have received, grace upon grace.” John 1:16
Amen! So true!
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Janelle Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 9:00 pm
@Anna,
Thank you for this post. I have a 3 year old Evelyn as well and tests every limit and boundary daily! Maybe it’s the name! I’m glad to see that I’m not alone!
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OH MY!! This could NOT have come at a better time for me, I have been beyond frustrated lately with my 4 yr. old son. I saw myself in this blog post! THANK YOU!
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