As parents we sometimes have to disappoint our children, which in turn is disappointing to us.
There are definitely different levels of disappointment, right?
As a mom, I have had to disappoint my children in many ways. Sometimes it looks like telling my toddler that we are out of bananas (one of his favorite snacks), or telling my kids that we are not spending money on certain toys or stuffed animals that they do not need.
Other times, in my experience, it looks like telling your young daughter that she has to go back to the doctor, and she cries because she is scared. You then have to hold her and watch her cry as they do a blood draw to search for answers.
That kind of disappointment is much harder on us and we feel pain as our children do.
As my husband and I learned, having to explain to your children that you have lost your baby you were expecting, and they have lost the little brother or sister they were eagerly anticipating, brings disappointing your children to a whole new level.
As their parents, we want absolutely nothing to do with bringing about pain, disappointment, or heartache.
This makes me think about how God feels toward us.
As His children, He does not eagerly place us in situations that bring us pain, disappointment, or heartache anymore than we do our own children. But just as we hold and comfort our children during these times, He is there to hold and comfort us.
He feels what we feel. He hurts when we hurt, and like us, He has had to endure the heartache of watching His Son experience pain.
God constantly teaches me more about Himself through my experiences as a mom. If we look for Him in every situation, I assure you we will find Him.
The good news is, even in times of disappointment, we find ourselves drawn in to our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for my God who cares for me, and that He allows me to experience Him in different ways as I raise my children. I pray that I will always be the kind of mom that points her children to Christ in all things, even the disappointing ones.