Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity

And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?

He does not retain His anger forever,

Because He delights in unchanging love.

Micah 7:18

We've been struggling in our house with potty training our oldest dc for about a year.  Just this past month we decided it was time to commit to a plan and stick it out.  I think I've been hoping that if I just keep trying something we would stumble upon something that worked.  That didn't happen but our son did learn that if he balks about something long enough then we will try something new (aka change our minds).  Well, all that began to change a couple of weeks ago and we felt it was time to stick with a particular method. 

I have to admit that it was hard for me and what I saw in myself was UGLY!  As, we began to work through the process of dealing with messes and my ds still balking I found that my responses to him were so UGLY!  I began to cry out to God that He would enable me to be what my son needed (patient, loving, firm, kind, supportive) but all I wanted to do was give up. 

God in His great compassion began to show me in His Word what His character is.  Now as I write that it seems like a silly statement.  What else to you expect to learn in the Word other than about who God is?!  But I mean I saw it everywhere...The Spirit was also tenderly reminding me that I am the one showing my children who God is and does my motive line up with what Scripture says it should be?  A big no on that one. 

So, in desparation I began to pray for direction to solve the potty training issue but God did (is doing) such a bigger work in my heart.  I began to understand that I had placed my own comfort and need for order up as an idol in my life.  I was deeply convicted by Phil. 2:3-7.  I was not walking in the Spirit with my children but rather trying to ask them (respectively 3 yr. and 1 yr old) to do things that would further my agenda (aka make it easy on mom).  My sin was ugly and replusive when I saw it in the light of Scripture but then the healing balm came!

The passage from Micah that I listed above reminded me that God forgives my sin, passes over our rebellion to pursue relationship with us, does not retain the anger and all because He delights in unchanging love.  I felt the love of God in the passage and then had the strength and desire to (through the Spirit) be that for my children.  I want to forgive the wrongs they do, pass over the rebellion to have relationship with them, not retain the anger and delight in showing them unchanging love. 

I praise God that He has shown me these things in my own life so that I can, through His Spirit, model them for my family.  Now, that is what home education is all about!