What's your response?

I have been convicted lately of how little patience I have toward my children. This was made more clear when a friend sharing prayer requests asked that she would not have a reactionary response in dealing with her children. That phrase "reactionary response" made me think of how quickly I blow things out of proportion when handling situations between my kids. I respond based on my emotions and not on biblical truth. What is worse, I am undermining my own instruction for them to be kind when I lose my temper or raise my voice.

In Romans 2:1-5 Paul addresses this very same attitude.

"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man- you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself- that you will escape the judgement of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed."

I love that God's kindness is meant to lead us to repentance. If we ask God to forgive us, He will! What is more astonishing is that we can pray "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Ps. 51:10 So you and I don't have to be burdened down under our sin but can start anew each moment. What a wonderful truth!