My two-year-old son teaches me life lessons each and every day. Especially now that it is potty training season.
The most valuable lesson that I am learning is gaining “patience through the frustration.”
And oh, what a time we are having these days.
With the many false alarms running back and forth to the bathroom each time our son alerts us that he has to “poopie in the potty,” only to realize that he often just wants to sit on the potty and read his Penguins Love Colors book, it should be no surprise that we have become frustrated with the lack of poopie production.
But as soon as frustration mounts to its fullest, we have a successful trip to the potty and the entire household erupts in songs (and sometimes dances) of celebration!
All false alarms are forgiven as we realize our son is more than worth it.
His potty training ordeal makes me imagine how frustrating my faults may be as a child of God and how truly patient God has been with me and my growth—spiritually and emotionally.
How many times have I given God the signal that I was ready to “go,” when in reality it was just a false alarm?
But I am encouraged by 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
“Love is patient and kind…it does not rejoice at wrongdoings, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things and endures all things…”
I grow confident in His love, knowing that He celebrates me when I not only make the right choices, but actually follow through with those choices.
Just as we celebrate when our son actually makes poopie happen.
All part of the training.