This past Thursday, Disney admitted that there is no easy way to parent your children.  They conceded the fact that setting children in front of Baby Einstein DVD’s is not the cure-all for exasperated and tired parents, who want a break without neglecting their children.

So now what?  What can a mommy (or daddy) of a little one do to take a break, kick up her (or his) feet, sit down with a nice book, and just enjoy life for a little while?  Or are full time parents doomed to years of joylessness, just sweating it out until their little munchkins are old enough to occupy themselves?

Herein lies the problem. The above questions state a false dilemma, and a dysfunctional way of thinking.  Why are we to think that leisure is the road to joy, and difficulty leads to the certain disquietude of soul?  There are many people who experienced things quite to the contrary.  These strange people saw difficulty as an aid in their quest for true joy.  What people am I referring to?

The people of the churches of Macedonia.

“…for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy…” 2 Corinthians 8:2

And the church of the Thessalonians.

“…with much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit…” 1 Thessalonians 1:6

And James.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…” James 1:2

And Paul.

“In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.” 2 Corinthians 7:4

And Jesus himself.

“…for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…” Hebrews 12:2

Parents, there can indeed be found much joy in difficulty, and child rearing is among the most difficult of tasks.  When your house is in pieces, your child’s heart is in disrepair, and you are fighting to stay alert in the midst of exhaustion because your littlest one could not sleep the night before… life is difficult.  I would go so far as to say that a person doesn’t know true exhaustion until they have children.  At times it can be downright exasperating.  But let us not think for a moment that this not a gift, to aid us in our quest for joy in God.

What is true joy?  True joy is Christ. Unless we know the justifying, sustaining, and sanctifying graces that the gospel of Jesus brings to our souls, we will not taste the sweetness of heavenly satisfaction.  Yet, in the midst of leisure, we are woefully forgetful to truly lean on Christ, which makes leisure a potential obstacle to our joy.   Difficulty, can be one of the greatest assets to our Christian survival, and parenting is a gift of great difficulty! We experience the sweet sustaining joys of unity with Christ as we learn to lean on Him in the midst of parental difficulty, as we come to the end of ourselves, recognizing our emptiness and His fullness.

Parenting is a gift, and not only in this way.  Oh, how much we learn of the Father in parenting.   How real to us certain things of the bible become!  God has given to you, all the trials of parenting, for your good.  Believe it, and embrace every modicum of exhaustion, letting it drive you to the feet of Jesus.  Because we have nothing, and He is everything!

Let us parent in a way that makes plain to the world that leisure is not our god, Christ is!