“The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”
(Genesis 6:5-8a).

Oh I grieve when I read this. I can see my own depravity of heart and think, Lord, forgive me. Yet the Lord is slow to anger. I think of how unworthy I am, yet the Lord says I chose you. The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in love. In all of His characteristics, this scenario makes me realize that things with these people on the planet had gotten really bad. In all of His love and patience He felt this way about His creation. Oh to think that I have the capacity to fill God’s heart with pain just crushes me.

Now let’s look at our own children. Today was one of those days when I felt the pain God describes here about His creation. These little children He has entrusted to me have torn my heart out and stomped on it. My heart was grieved because to my limited view it seemed that every inclination of their hearts were evil today. From the time we woke up to the time we settled them into bed. All day evil abounded in their hearts toward one another. Despite the pressure of discipline it continued to be a nonstop 24 hour marathon. My heart was filled with pain and truthfully I did ponder why I even had children! I was grieved that I was in this situation because I felt hopeless.

But God knows better than I. God made a way. God relates to every feeling of hurt and pain that I do. He knows the only reason my feelings toward my children are so strong is because of my deep love for them. Only deep love feels deep pain. God loves us incredibly deep. Deeper than anyone else ever will. It was because of this love that despite our great depravity He sent His One and only Son to die for our sinful state. He loved us so deeply that He made a way for us to be pure before Him through His Son Jesus. That kind of love amazes me. I praise God for that.

It is because of God’s great love that though I know today was a very bad day in our household, I am guaranteed by His promise that His mercies are brand new every morning. Just as there is hope for me, there is hope for my children. God will continue to help me instruct them in the way of love and one day they will start to live it. Those are the days that we by faith look forward too. Tomorrow is a new day and my hope is in Him. Whatever may come I know we will make it through and find comfort in the fact that He understands completely. He sustains, helps, provides, and comforts us. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness and He will bring every good work unto completion.

If you are struggling today in your parenting or with sibling rivalry, know you are not alone. We are all in this together. Let’s just take a moment to lift one another up in prayer. This task is impossible without God. We need God to do this thing. Parenting is not an easy task. Be encouraged today. You are doing a good thing. Keep it up!

Angela Parsley, of the international ministry Refresh My Soul Ministries, is a wife and homeschooling mother to her 2 young daughters. Angela is also a contributing author to a devotional book entitled, “Standing on the Promises of God” and Radical Revolution, a devotional site for teen girls through Proverbs 31 Ministries.