Endurance
If you’ve ever participated in a sport that requires physical endurance, you know the meaning of the phrase “hitting the wall”. It’s when your body says “no” to any more exertion. Working with children, whether in ministry, a job, or at home can be like that. Every part of our being cries for a break. Endurance is required to get us over the finish line. Well, not that parenting is ever finished, but at least across the line where we’re finished with many daily responsibilities.
Some walls that can stop us dead in our tracks are: physical fatigue, shortage of money, pressure from a boss or spouse, the constant need to correct children, or feeling inadequate to deal with the special needs children have. We might wonder, can I really complete this marathon?
At this critical juncture when I’m about to hit the wall, it’s time to review five essential facts.
The first fact to review is that I have an ultimate goal based on the big picture. Although there are many important goals such as the education of these children, my ultimate goal is to bring the love of Jesus into their lives. If nothing else is accomplished, I want to love these children. There are many verses in the Bible about love that we can use to remind ourselves about our ultimate goal. If everything else feels like it’s falling apart, love can hold it together. It’s like a bottle of Gorilla glue for life. I have a bottle of Gorilla glue on display near me with “love” written on it in big letters to remind me of my ultimate goal and how it hold things together.
The second fact to review when I’m about to hit a wall is that all my goals for these children are broken down into manageable moments. Don’t try to confront everything at once. When it feels like everything is coming at us at once, and we’re so overwhelmed we’re going to hit that wall, don’t let it ALL burden you. Focus on one thing at a time, one moment at a time. Say, “Father God, I’m leaving all those other issues in your hands and with your grace I’m going to just address this one thing.”
The third fact to review when I’m about to hit a wall is that life is difficult, and I can’t expect to breeze through. When it seems that everything takes longer and is more difficult than I expected, I realize that my expectations are unrealistic, leading to frustration, which can lead to behavior that is unloving. A lesson I’m still trying to learn is that the difficulties in life are not obstacles, they are opportunities to live out the gospel, which is all about Jesus overcoming the power of sin by laying down his life in love.
Here's the fourth fact to review when I feel like I’m going to hit a wall. One of the most discouraging things is to feel like there’s no progress with the challenge I’m facing. Maybe a child’s behavior hasn’t changed in spite of trying everything and being patient. Maybe there’s no progress with other pressures such as physical, financial, and relational. It’s time to ask myself, what IS good progress? Is it things working out? Actually, progress in my own heart is far more important. Am I growing in any of the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?  I need to ask Jesus to help me with just one of those to focus on, and rejoice in progress there, instead of progress with others. I can’t control them, but I can let Jesus control ME. 
The final fact to review is that when you serve children you’re serving Jesus Himself. Luke 9:48 “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me.” This is a mystery, yet important truth, that Jesus identifies with a simple little child who can be trying to your patience. You, dear parent or children’s worker have special notice and blessing from God.
With God’s strength, and the support of other strong friends, I can crash through this wall instead of hitting it and collapsing. God bless you as you stay in the race.