"I am FOR you, child!"

I've found, in recent weeks, that the decisions Ryan and I make as parents are less than popular among our children. Particularly with our eldest. He considers some of the decisions we have made (ie: early bedtime, saying no to expensive purchases, monitoring the junk food he puts into his mouth, etc) to be unfair or even mean-spirited at the moment. I like how Beth Moore (in my Bible study) puts it: "I even used the words from time to time, 'I am for you, child. For heaven's sake, I'm your mother! Why wouldn't I want what's best for you?'" But our kids are too young and immature to understand that our decisions are for them. We are thinking of their best interest, rather than their current whims.

And at times, when they will not be convinced otherwise, we will have to temporarily live with them thinking poorly of us and questioning our motives. "Still, the future ramifications were worth the present misunderstanding." (Beth Moore) And isn't that the way it is with God??

I love how she explained it in this week's lesson: "On a much greater scale, God can take a similar position. He knows when something glorious in the future necessitates something difficult in the present. Because He knows the glory will be worth it, God will risk being misunderstood. Yes, God wants us to have joyful, satisfying lives, but He also wants us to have crowns to cast. Rewards to receive. Character to develop. Compassion to give. Testimonies to tell. In the midst of those painful processes, God makes bold promises."

She references Romans 8:28-39, and as I studied this familiar passage, I jotted down these promises as they apply to me. And here is what it looks like:

God will make sure all things work together for my good.
He will conform me to the likeness of His Son.
He will call me, justify me, glorify me.
He will give me all good things.
He will intercede for me.
He will make me more than a conqueror!

Amen and amen! My prayer this week is that as the Lord endows Ryan and I with the incredible wisdom that is necessary for raising a 'tween' child...hopefully my kids will see God's love and promises through us. We want what is best for them. But ultimately God wants what is best for them. Even in those times when the answer is an unsatisfying NO!