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live / f a i t h ?ese are all potential sources of frustra- tion for every parent.
frustration
is a nat- ural part of life, and unfortunately mounts throughout our lifetime. if we aren?t care- ful,
frustration
s build to the point of melt- downs. while an occasional meltdown might be commonplace for toddlers, these are not so good for adults and parents. so, what can a parent do to deal with these impending emotional explosions? a quick internet search would advise recognizing and avoiding the sources of our
frustration
and the equivalent of counting to 10 slowly. ?ese are good ideas and may be effective, but for christ followers, here are two biblical questions to ask when facing
frustration
s and emotional meltdowns: 1. are you acknowledging
god
? often, our
frustration
is based in the immedi- ate circumstances of a situation. ?is often leaves little room for acknowledg- ing the lord in the moment. proverbs 3:6 tells us to acknowledge
god
in all of our ways, even in our meltdowns. in these mo- ments, if we can pause, speak to, and lis- ten to
god
, minor (and sometimes major) crises can be averted. what is
god
saying using faith to manage parent meltdowns rich mayfield, associate pastor of student ministry at parkview baptist church to us in this moment of
frustration
? what do we need to say to him? ?ese thoughts can center us and help us slow down long enough for
god
to come through on his promise and make our path straight. 2. is your
peace
coming from your own understanding? philippians 4:7 promises that our hearts will be guarded by the
peace
of
god
. when a meltdown is on the horizon, we desperately need the
peace
of
god
. ?e key is that we do not gain
peace
from our own understanding, but rather
god
?s
peace
that transcends all understanding, even our perception. our
frustration
is often wrapped up in our own narrow understanding of circum- stances. when we find
peace
from
god
in these moments, he moves us beyond our own understanding. so, when we feel like a meltdown is imminent, we should look to our heavenly father, acknowledge him and look for his
peace
to guard our hearts. may our
frustration
s be eased and our patience strengthened as
god
gracefully guides us through these tense and dangerous moments. ? short attention spans. arguments over nothing between siblings. lack of time to yourself. and of course, all of the other things going on in our world. 52 brparents.com | august 2016
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