Patience & Parenting
Confession: I am not a very patient person by nature. My husband? He’s patient through and through. Myself? Not as much. I have two kids, ages 5 and 4. They ask questions on repeat. I want to be patient in my responses with them but I don’t always respond like I want to.
But I recently received a gentle reminder of patience from a story I wasn’t looking for.
How Many Times Are You Going to Ask the Same Question?
I recently read in Genesis 18 about the story of Abraham questioning the Lord about His plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for all of the wickedness. Abraham asks the Lord if He’ll save the city for the sake of fifty righteous people. The Lord responds that if He finds fifty righteous people, He’ll save it (and not destroy the city).
Abraham then asks “what about forty-five people, would you save it then?”
The Lord replies that He would not destroy it if He found forty-five there.
Abraham’s response? “Suppose forty are found there?”
The Lord replies “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”
Still Abraham asks again. This is question number four. Abraham asks “what about thirty?” Now here, Abraham precedes his question with “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. suppose thirty are found there.” What struck me though, is he was still asking. Again.
The Lord replies that for thirty He would save it.
And again! Abraham asks about twenty, “suppose twenty are found there?”
Do you notice how Abraham kept questioning God repeatedly? Does that sound like any little (or not so little) kiddos you know? Asking you basically the same question over and over and over?
Responding in Kindness and Grace
How does God our Heavenly Father respond when He gets repeatedly questioned from his son, Abraham?
His response to Abraham about saving the city for twenty people is: “for the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”
Abraham goes to push further and asks again. This is question number six. “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I’ll speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there?” And the Lord responds “for the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”
What I love about this story is how the Lord responds patiently every single time. Every single time after being asked over and over. There is no ” How many times are you going to ask me!?” Like I sometimes respond. And add an eye roll in there.
But He doesn’t. God repeatedly responds in patience, full of kindness and grace.
A Perfect Example of Patience
Look how patient God was with Abraham! He didn’t respond snippy, angry or annoyed.
And that was my big take away recently. And I needed it: God did not get annoyed with Abraham for repeatedly questioning Him. And He doesn’t get annoyed with me. And it was a beautiful example of how I can try to be a little more patient in my responses.
I’m sure I could have found some tips on being more patient online or from a trusted friend, had I asked. But it wasn’t even needed. It was right in His word, right in front of me.
When you dive into God’s Word and spend time reading from the living, active Word of God, He’ll start to change your perspective. And even in little ways, from a little story, that maybe you weren’t even looking for.
How that played out for me recently was that short story of Abraham’s convo with God. I have been reading in Genesis and working my way through. That chapter happened to be where I was at. I didn’t go looking for it. And it was so prominent for me.
How His Word does that! Passages that you have read before can impact you in a new way at the very moment you need it.
So as I am fielding questions on end from my young kids, it can be easy to get annoyed, frustrated, and short with them. But this story was such a gentle reminder. And one that now makes me pause and try to respond with kindness.
It could be your kids asking you a bazillion questions throughout the day, or whatever it is, whatever you find yourself thinking “I wish I could be more patient with …” and fill in that blank. Whatever it is for you, you have a perfect example in this short story of God answering in kindness and love. Even after being asked over and over. And over again.
I needed God’s gentle reminder of His patience today. And He used that story to encourage me.
He will encourage you too.
When you are finished reading this, I hope you are encouraged to get into God’s Word today. Get to know Him. Get to know Him as personally as you can. Grow your relationship with Him. Spend time with you Creator who loves you more than you can possibly understand. I pray the God of peace that surpasses all understanding will make Himself known to you in ways you would never have imagined. “Seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:13-14a.
This definitely encourages me to grow in my relationship with God through His word. In my life, rather than children, it is with my friend (who used to be a spiritual mentor to me) with dementia that requires patience. Tomorrow I take her for a CT scan and will carry this post in my heart. Thank you Lisa 💙
Aunt Michelle, thank you so much for sharing this. What a blessing you are to your friend. I will be praying for you both today as you take her to the CT scan. I didn’t think of this passage with dementia before you mentioned that, and wow, you are right. Thank you for sharing. You know exactly where – that helps and encourages me too💙💙