May. 4, 2009 - Breakthrough!
I will try to make this concise, but we had a MAJOR breakthrough w/ my 6year old about the end of March!
My little boy had been SO difficult about that time. We had been consistent, keeping him close to us, faithfully spanking, teaching, instructing, enjoying time together to tie heart strings, etc, etc....
but he was still resistant. He had the HARDEST time admitting when he was wrong! He would cry when a spanking hurt, but not tears of brokenness. His heart was hard and I didn't know what more to do about it. He is the one I posted about a few posts down, about how we were quitting "academics", to work solely on character training and training in godliness.
I cried out to the Lord, ALL the time, for my boy. For his heart to be reached by the Lord, and for wisdom in how to effectively deal with him...
The weekend before the 'breakthrough' was the worst! I was about to knock my head up against the wall, and his too!
Then on a Sunday night... he needed a spanking... again. He got it. Afterwards, we were talking and I just said, "Joshua, you need Jesus! The Bible tells us that the Lord will give us a heart of flesh when Jesus is in our hearts. That He will help us realize when we are wrong and that we have sinned and that we need HIM! Your heart has been stony. Unyielding. Stubborn and resistant to correction. Not teachable. Do you want to pray that the Lord would replace your stony heart with a heart of flesh?"
Then... he broke. He started crying, tears of brokenness! He said he did want to pray, and we prayed together. I was crying too. He was so genuine! We had an awesome time together, and then we read Ezekiel 36.
Later we were in the kitchen and he was playing w/ my 6month old so nicely. Then he looked at me and said with the sweetest smile, "I love you, Mommy. And there is something else I want to say." He hesitated, so I went closer. Finally, he said, "All these days I have wanted to obey you, but I just found it so hard to do!"
I cried again, and hugged him and told him that I understand completely and that none of us can do what we wish we could without Jesus - that's why we need Him so badly!
Last night was certainly not the first time I had shared the Gospel with him, but it was the night that the Lord chose to break through to him personally. It was amazing. I wasn't sure that he was not saved before that, and I didn't even know at the moment that we prayed that that was what was happening, but the fruit has made it evident.
Later that same evening, he told my husband that it was the best day he'd had in a long time. When asked why, he said, "Because Jesus changed my heart!"
He brought me a note that said, "I love you, Mommy!" on one side, and on the other side it said, "I love you, Jesus!!!"
The following day, he got several more spankings... but he was SO much more teachable. And since then, he still needs correction. He is still a child and does foolish things, but he is definitely a new creature. He is not resisting; he is admitting he was wrong. The change is marked and refreshing.
I have no greater joy...
Comments
May. 5, 2009 - Praise God
Posted by Autumn
That is a most wonderful testimony.
How wonderful a change heart.
Praise God!
Hugs,
Sheila
