Silence or Confrontation?
Mark,
Anyway...please tell me this...I am still struggling...how do I continue in my awesome walk with the Lord...and continue to "let" husband talk to the kids the way he does sometimes..do i say anything..?? my mother..??..It is very hard lately...God is convicting me minute by minute...oh help..In all of my situations...I am having trouble reacting..or responding..I am confused as to what is right....I am doing my best not to overanalyze...tell me from your heart and experience..we are so much alike......it scares me...listening to your Angry Parent tape last night...no wonder God went through what he did to get me to you..(.you don't even know the half of it..another story...maybe sometime..)
I have always confronted my husband when he said something to the children I thought inappropriate.....but I am not so sure that was/is the right thing to do...but how do I respond correctly, submitting..correctly..??
S _____________.
(In the following counseling session, there is a back and forth dialogue in the body of the text.)
Dear Sister in the Lord:
Have you read the book boundaries? ...Yes I have..... I think you said you did. If you are RESPONDING in a controlled graceful manner, Okay..maybe some work here............ then it is appropriate for you to confront anyone who is speaking in a harmful manner toward you or your children. Before you can do this though, I would strongly suggest that you and your husband get some good marriage counseling, so you are both on the same team, knowing in advance what to expect.. remember that 2nd Peter teaches that a godly woman can win her husband without a word! I think that my wife's silence has done more to influence me than her words. If one of your children has been harmed by hurtful words, you can comfort, but don't turn your children against their father. Teach them to pray for him, for you etc... We serve a God who answers prayer. .....have you forgotten what I have recently experienced..!! He is just showing me how awesome He is...It is positively exhillarating..I want to bottle it..!! Your life is more about your "lack" of experiencing God than anything else. Your faith is being tested. ...Isn't that the truth..!!..I have only shared a few stories..In the last 48 hours..my children have told me things that have blown me away..things that I thought children would NEVER pick up....talk about confronting me...and I didnt even give them permission..!!?? apparently God did.... Behavior's will change when your relationship with Christ becomes contagious. It's always most painful at the beginning but oh the fruits of righteousness at the end! ..Truly..my soul is in turmoil a lot of the time....I am listening to that gentle whisper that I have ignored for so long... Remember, a soft answer turns away wrath... And the Lord knows where to test my faithfulness...!
