Temper Tantrums

Philippians 4:11b: For I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.

I took my two year old daughter to the zoo a few weeks ago. Before our trip, I mentioned that she would get to see zebras so she that she would have something to look forward to. Her excitement built as we drove and she asked me every so often, “Are we going to see the zebras?” “Yes,” I answered, “we’re going to see the zebras.” Upon entering the zoo, she asked me, “Are we going to see the zebras Momma?” “Yes,” I told her, we’ll see them, but we’ll see other animals along the way too.” The first animals we approached were the grizzly bears. My daughter was initially upset because her focus was on getting to the zebras. As she concentrated on the bears, however, her excitement grew. She growled at them as they lazed near the water. She stared intently at them and made pawing motions every time they changed position. She was having a blast. When it was time to move on, I attempted to put her into the stroller so we could go. She, however, threw herself down on the ground, kicking and screaming in protest. I finally got her seated and as we left the bear cage she asked, “Are we going to see the zebras Mommy?” “Yes,” I reassured her, “but we’re going to see other animals along the way too.” The next animals we approached were the elephants. Once again, my daughter was upset that we weren’t at the zebra cage. I pointed out the elephants’ trunks and the way they threw dust onto the backs to keep themselves cool. Eventually, her excitement began to build and she pretended she had a trunk and imitated the trumpet-like sounds of the elephant’s call. When it was time to leave to go on to the next area – well you can predict what happened here – yes, she threw yet another temper tantrum – this one more violent than the previous one. I again had to get her seated so we could move on to the next animal. “Don’t you want to see the zebras?” I asked her. “Well, we have to keep moving if we want to see them.” This happened two more times as we visited the giraffes and the kangaroos until we finally made our way to the zebras. “Zebras, Zebras!” my daughter exclaimed ecstatically. She marveled at their black and white stripes, the way they ate grass, and at the baby zebra sleeping under the shade of a tree. We’d finally made it to see her beloved zebras and when it was time to go home, she was happy and satisfied with the trip.

On my way home, God pointed out that there are times when I throw temper tantrums just like my daughter. “God, why did you tell me this was going to happen in my life and it hasn’t yet?” “God, why do others have the things I want and You haven’t blessed me with those things yet?” “God, why am I struggling when it seems others around me aren’t?”

There are thousands of promises from God in His Word. As a Christian, it can be difficult to read those promises that haven’t come to fruition yet. Just like my daughter who was given a promise before it came to pass, we’ve been given promises from God as a glimpse into what will be. We must be willing to praise God for what will be while enjoying where we are in the here and now.

The danger of throwing temper tantrums is that while you are on the ground thrashing around complaining about what you don’t have, you’re not able to enjoy what God has blessed you with presently. Be careful not to miss out on the beauty of your present blessings.

What in your life has caused you to throw temper tantrums with God? How can you turn that complaint into praise?

PARENTAL LOVE

1 John 3:1: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

I knew what love was prior to becoming a mom. I loved my family. I loved my friends. I’d even fallen in love a few times. But once I gave birth to my daughter, my heart experienced love in a way it had never before. From the first time I looked at her, my love for her was indescribable. I knew that I would sacrifice everything I had to make sure she was safe and taken care of. I knew that I would go out of my way to give her what she wanted in life. I knew that nothing would remove my love for her. She was beautiful to me – probably the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my life. And not just because of her exterior but because she was a part of me. My heart beams with pride whenever she masters something new. My heart aches whenever she is in pain. My heart literally melts into a puddle onto the floor when she tells me she loves me. I cannot accurately put into words the depths of my love for her. And even when I have to discipline her, it doesn’t diminish my love for her – it reinforces my love for her by teaching her right from wrong. When I look at her – her personality, her movements, her physical traits – it feels like I’m looking at a mirrored reflection of myself.

I am blessed to be a mom because it’s given me a glimpse of God’s love for us:

1. God made us in His image and when He sees us, He seems Himself:
Genesis 1:26-27: Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female, He created them.”

2. God will give to us when we ask:
Luke 11:13: If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.

3. God feels our pain and can recount all of our hurts:
Ps 56:8: You keep track of my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. Are they not recorded in your book?

4. God will not remove His love from us:
Rom 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5. When God disciplines us, it’s not because of the lack of His love but rather because of the depths of His love – He wants us to know right from wrong:
Hebrews 12:6-7: For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

6. God gives us the chance to repent of our wrongdoings and will forgive us when we sin:
1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

7. God’s unending love for His children is displayed in His ultimate sacrifice:
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever shall believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

God made us in His image and created us to fellowship with Him as his children. When we begin to view God as our Heavenly Father, we begin to understand his love for us. How great is the Father’s love for His children!