When Satan wins...

We've all had those mornings... trying to get breakfast made for the family, get yourself ready, kids ready, etc. and still get out the door in time for church. And more often than not, getting out the door "on time" means you're walking in to the church building as the service is getting started. We had yet another one of those mornings today. It seems that no matter how early I get up, its always a struggle to get out the door. We seem to get out the door for work on time, sure, things can get pretty busy as you rush out the door, but we still make it out the door on time. Why can't this be the case for church? I often wonder why; why can't we, just once, leave on time. Most Sunday mornings it's a scramble and I typically do my makeup on the way to church as my husband drives. Some mornings I don't even make breakfast so we call in an order for a breakfast pizza and pick it up and eat it on the way. That is what a typical Sunday morning looks like in our household. But why is this? Am I not organized enough? Am I too slow at getting everyone ready? Aside from the toddler meltdowns and the baby spitting up all over my outfit and hers, I think there is a deeper reason as to why Sunday mornings are such a struggle. I believe that satan will use the toddler meltdowns and whatever else he can think of to run my patience down and speed the clock up until I throw my hands up and say "forget it!" Most mornings I just power through it and pray that we can get out the door soon. Today, I let satan win. And yes, I meant to say that I LET him win because it was a choice that I made. It was a choice that was made out of frustration. I can only imagine the message that God had for our family that day must have been a good one since satan worked extra hard that morning to keep us home. My heart broke as my toddler began to cry that she wanted to go to Sunday school. I was in tears as I felt like a failure and that I was letting my family down and setting an example I did not want to set for my toddler. Thankfully, God is gracious in my shortcomings. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, the apostle Paul writes, "But He [Jesus] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." God knows us, He knows me, and God does not expect us to be perfect. He knows we will fall short, no matter how hard we try. God is the missing piece to make us perfect. I am far from perfect, but with God's grace and power, I am complete. God's power is made perfect in my weakness, and I have a lot of weaknesses! Paul goes on to write in verse 10, "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." The word that stands out to me is 'content'. I sometimes struggle with being content. I need to learn to be content in my weaknesses, and be content with the hardships of Sunday mornings. Being content and resting in God's perfect power.