God Is Mercy, Grace and Unfailing Love...and so much more!

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written by: Teresa Criswell



Before leaving for church, I was in a hurry, as one of my downfalls is being late.

My beautiful daughter was sitting on the chair, playing with her itouch, glassy-eyed and completely enveloped by a video she had just made of our cat, when I said, "Honey, we need to go."

Usually she is quick to listen when we need to go, yet this time, there was no response.

So I said it again with a bit more of a demonstrative tone.

Still nothing...
Now annoyed, I raised my voice volume a bit higher, revealing my frustration and said it again.

When she looked up at me, her eyebrows scrunched low, as they told on her annoyance with me as she simultaneously raised her voice with frustration and said, "WHAT?"

In that moment, it was, "O God, hold me back" as all cylinders were on and the very thing I was angry about, was the very thing I did right back raised to the one hundredth degree (It was an ugly sight on my part, to say the least).

The laws of cause and effect were so evident in that very moment, forgetting about the obedience of God in nurturing her even in that very moment. Now, I have been dealing with an attitude from her ever so often, and my attitude back is beyond ridiculous. Yet, to the degree of her overemphasized, disrespectful, "WHAT?" I had not yet experienced this from her before to this degree and to say the least, I was beyond ticked off.

As she was pale from my outburst, she hesitantly walked to the car as I followed behind her, slamming the door so hard it shook the foundations of our home. I was still fuming and yes, out of all places, on my way to church. Yet in that very moment in the midst of the angry quietness, still emitting angry, smoking fumes; breathing as though I was about to give birth, I experienced the peace of the Holy Spirit so calmly say, "Teresa, be an example of what you expect from her just as I Am an example for you."

O man....Ugh!!!!! I swallowed the big gulp of pride that was right in the middle of my throat, breathing in and breathing out slowly. I could feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit and so with embarrassment, I apologized to my daughter, and asked her to forgive me. She began to cry and expressed her apologies as she also asked me to forgive her which allowed the atmosphere to change instantly from an atmosphere of war to an atmosphere of God's peace. We of course began our dialogue as this will happen again, yet showing her how it was wrong for both of us to act the way we did, as it shows disrespect on both parts.

Learning from this scenario, especially as a parent, we walk into church and the Lord moved on our pastors heart to change the teaching from what he was originally planning to teach, to teach us simply of Who our God Is, revealed by Jesus through His Holy Spirit!

Refreshingly, as this was the very medicine for my soul that I desperately needed ~ one of the many scriptures Pastor Chris shared, waved for my attention like a flag flying in the rapid wind. It was none other than, Psalm 103:8 ~ "The Lord is merciful and gracious; He is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love."

The very whisper I heard in my car during the moment of 'battle', "Teresa...be an example of what you expect from her just as I Am an example for you" melted my heart as I heard the confirmation of Who He is and What He so lavishly displays upon us and what He is able to do through us by the power of His Holy Spirit.

I am reminded in what I have received for the taking so freely ~ His Mercy and Grace which reveals His unfailing love as they are tools to allow even our God to be slow to anger. This revelation shows me how it is imperative that I pay forward upon others what I have graciously received, revealing yet again, WHO HE IS!

Comments

  1. I have chills running up and down my spine! That nudge of the holy spirit, the tears you two shared, the sermon, the scripture...all of it...showing the grace and tenderness of God in a teachable moment. This was so beautiful. I love all of your analogies and confess I had to chuckle at the thought of you emitting angry smoking fumes and breathing like you were about to give birth! ;) But even such powerful anger can be instantly tamed by God's tender touch and his mercy. Sweet mercy! xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh how I relate to your story...once upon a time...long time ago ...when my son was but 10, I became very angry with him...he had done something he knew not to do but I had been studying and praying about being a better mom, a Godly example of God's love and the Lord had instructed me to not correct my son while angry...so I explain to him that I was angry with him, and this was not the time for punishment...I sent him to his room with instructions on him to pray and think about what he had done and why it was wrong...and then told him I was going to my room to pray and seek God's counsel....I did correct him with three swipes on his backside...not even hard ones...and we both wept ...he apologized and shared with me what he knew was wrong and why he did it and I shared with him Godly love in reproof and corrections....it was amazing....God's presence was in the moment with both my son and I ...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for stopping by...please feel free to follow me and post a comment ~ I'd love to return the favor!

Popular posts from this blog

God's Royalty Revealed In the Midst of A Verbal Slap

December 15, 2010, "Connecting Bridge"

Another Story of A Penny...