Today has been one of those days. Our 2nd week back at school, first day with a full course load, and we started off with a bang – in the negative kind of way. Sour attitudes from a late night prior, rebellious hearts, fighting, arguing, complaining and tears all around. It was all I could do by 10:00 to not throw up my hands in defeat and walk away from it all.
The Lord has been really hammering something home with me these past few weeks. It began with a sermon from 2 Kings, where Elisha is being sought by the king of Syria who wants to kill him. The soldiers have surrounded the city he is in, and his servant goes out. Seeing their situation, he comes back to Elisha and says “Alas! What shall we do?!” (2 Kings 6:15).
Elisha’s automatic response: (verse 17) Then Elisha PRAYED.
Seeing the state of my children’s hearts this morning – their stubbornness and seeming hardness of heart to hear the word and respond to it – I felt defeated. When they turned against my instruction and fought with each other with their words and actions, I was at a loss.
Yet I remembered, in my desperation, to open my eyes and SEE – that only through the grace of God and the working of his Holy Spirit can their hearts be changed. Instead of throwing up my hands in defeat, I threw up my hands and cried out to God for wisdom, grace and strength.
His strength is perfect when our strength is gone.
MY grace is sufficient for you – for my power is made perfect in weakness. (1 Corinthians 12:9)
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
When you’re faced with a task that in the moment seems impossible; when you can’t see your way clear to change what’s happening in the hearts of your children; when you’re tempted to give up and give in – PRAY that God would open your eyes to see him at work. PRAY that you would be an instrument used of him. PRAY that he would give you the strength and that HE would do the work.
Alas, what shall we do?! Pray.
1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.
