My Recompense is With My God!

For some reason, I often have ladies confide in me about marital issues. I take this very seriously and be sure to search the scriptures before I spout off advice - I wish I did this for everything I'm asked about! Over time I've found myself saying the same thing over and over. YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR HUSBAND. Only God is in the business of changing hearts. Focus on your own heart. Do what you are called by God Almighty to do, and pray for your husband.

Then today, as I was reading from Isaiah and thinking about OTHERS, the Spirit spoke to my own heart. Doesn't this same principle apply to my own struggles? I train my children. Oh, I DO train them. Over and over. In the same areas. Until I think I might lose.....my......mind!!! Why will these children not LEARN? Do they not understand that my consistancy will not be lacking (okay, MOST days!) and that they will continue to reap the reward of their sin?

I told Kevin last week that I have HAD IT UP TO HERE and we'd better get a tent put up because someone needed to GET SAVED. I told him that the unregenerates had me outnumbered and I didn't like it ONE BIT.

Then this morning I heard that echo of what I've told others. YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR CHILDREN. Only God is in the business of changing hearts. Focus on your own heart. Do what you are called by God Almighty to do, and pray for your children. (Then beat them. HAHAHAHA!!!! Oh, yeah, wait...this is a public blog....don't call CPS!)

And what *am* I called to do? I am called to love my children. I am called to train them in righteousness. I am called to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit in showing them their sin and their need for Christ. I am called to point them to the cross as their only means of salvation. And I am called to teach them that they can do none of what I ask of them by their own strength, but that there is hope in Christ.

(Side note - obviously my role as a mother is different than my role as a wife when it comes to pointing out sin! LOL!)

In my scripture reading today from Isaiah 49, I read this verse:

"But I said, 'I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the LORD, and my recompense with my God.'"

It is possible to feel that everything I do is in vain, even when I am obeying God. But my recompense is with my God!