Turning The Blues into Blessing
The scissors flew past my face. “I hate you,” my daughter screamed. “I wish you were dead!”
My spirit withered. My daughter didn’t want to go to bed, and I didn’t have the energy to fight back. You’ll have a consequence later,” I warned. I dragged myself to my bedroom, closed the door, and planted myself in front of it so she couldn’t get in.
My daughter fumed. She kicked and pounded on my door. “Let me in,” she demanded. “Let me in! Let me in!” I refused. “Scaredy cat,” she mocked. Still, I didn’t budge. She scratched the hallway walls in anger. I took a deep breath. My emotional energy drained. I yearned to be alone.
Perhaps, if I’d felt strong, I could have picked up my screaming, kicking, wailing child and sent her to her bedroom for a time out. Maybe, if I’d felt strong, I could have reflected on her emotions and tried to reason with her. Or perchance, if I’d felt strong, I could have at least stood up to her so she’d see I was in charge. But on this day, I was anything but strong. I felt weak. Overwhelmed. Spent. And frightened.
“God, help!” I cried. And then I phoned my husband and texted a good friend: I need a miracle.
A half hour passed, and my daughter calmed. I opened my bedroom door and gazed into her beautiful green eyes. Her demeanor had softened. Compassion filled me, and I was able to deal with the situation.
Days like these make me grateful for Scriptures such as 2 Corinthians 12:9–“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
As if my situation wasn’t enough to reassure me of God’s faithfulness, He blessed me in other ways over the following week. First, a friend called and asked me and my daughter to go for a walk. This blessed us with an uplifting outing. Second, a spot in a day treatment program opened for my daughter. The one-and-a-half-year waitlist vanished. Finally, a conversation with some acquaintances reminded me of how fortunate my daughter is to excel musically.
If you too are parenting a child who comes from a hard place, I’m sure you’ve had moments that are downright difficult to say the least. Who do you turn to in your time of need? Do you cry out for God? Do you yearn for His help?
When you recognize you need God, you exalt Him, and He will help you at the right time. Let those thorns in your life turn your heart towards God who desires a relationship with you. Let Him take the reins and watch for His blessings. His grace will overflow.