Do you ever go through one of "those times" with your kids or spouse? You know, when everything that they do grates on your last nerve...from the way they brush their teeth to how they put on their shoes to the look on their face as they mindlessly sit on the couch. It's just all bad. Bad, bombed, flunked, failed. And while you may (or may not!) try to hold your tongue, you know that it is affecting your attitude.
We've all been there.
And I'm sure that we can all agree that it's no fun being there. It's not fun for us OR for the innocent bystanders caught in the drive-by of our poison.
And perhaps they're not all so innocent. Perhaps someone in your life is truly giving you a run for your money and it appears that they are doing it on purpose. What in the world do you do with that?
How do we unconditionally love our kids and show unconditional respect for our husbands the way the Bible teaches us to when they don't seem very lovely or respectable?
Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Notice the key word "whatever". "Whatever" means that even if there is a shred of nobility in your husband, even on the days you can only find a crumb of loveliness in your child, that is what we have to train our minds to focus on. They don't have to be at least 50% admirable for us to admire them. It's our job to find the "whatever".
You may be stuck in a funk right now with your spouse and it seems to you that he's doing SO MANY things wrong. But there is something somewhere that he is doing right. Figure out something (anything!) that you can praise in him, and ring that bell every single day!
Monday: "Thank you so much for taking our kids to school today."
Tuesday: "You know it really helps me get my day started right because you take our kids to school everyday."
Wednesday: "Yesterday I was able to get __________ accomplished because you always take our kids to school."
And on, and on, and on.
If you've only got one bell to ring, ring it loud! In time, as you focus on seeing the "whatever" in your spouse/kids, you will find more and more things to praise.
And here's the beauty of it all: As you seek out the goodness in those you love and continually speak it over them, they will rise to the occasion. Your husband will become a better man. Your kids will begin to see themselves differently. All because you chose to focus on the "whatever" instead of all the things that may drive you crazy.
So, next time you are tempted to say to your kid, "Child, you are getting on my last nerve!" it's time to apply the "Whatever Principle."
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
We've all been there.
And I'm sure that we can all agree that it's no fun being there. It's not fun for us OR for the innocent bystanders caught in the drive-by of our poison.
And perhaps they're not all so innocent. Perhaps someone in your life is truly giving you a run for your money and it appears that they are doing it on purpose. What in the world do you do with that?
How do we unconditionally love our kids and show unconditional respect for our husbands the way the Bible teaches us to when they don't seem very lovely or respectable?
Philippians 4:8 says, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Notice the key word "whatever". "Whatever" means that even if there is a shred of nobility in your husband, even on the days you can only find a crumb of loveliness in your child, that is what we have to train our minds to focus on. They don't have to be at least 50% admirable for us to admire them. It's our job to find the "whatever".
You may be stuck in a funk right now with your spouse and it seems to you that he's doing SO MANY things wrong. But there is something somewhere that he is doing right. Figure out something (anything!) that you can praise in him, and ring that bell every single day!
Monday: "Thank you so much for taking our kids to school today."
Tuesday: "You know it really helps me get my day started right because you take our kids to school everyday."
Wednesday: "Yesterday I was able to get __________ accomplished because you always take our kids to school."
And on, and on, and on.
If you've only got one bell to ring, ring it loud! In time, as you focus on seeing the "whatever" in your spouse/kids, you will find more and more things to praise.
And here's the beauty of it all: As you seek out the goodness in those you love and continually speak it over them, they will rise to the occasion. Your husband will become a better man. Your kids will begin to see themselves differently. All because you chose to focus on the "whatever" instead of all the things that may drive you crazy.
So, next time you are tempted to say to your kid, "Child, you are getting on my last nerve!" it's time to apply the "Whatever Principle."
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
1 comment:
I needed this. You hit the nail right on the head with this post. Thanks so much
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