We see it often when grocery shopping near the candy aisle or at the mall near a toy store—a toddler screaming to the top of his/her lungs demanding that they must have what they so desperately want—and they want it now, not later.  They have no idea of the cost of the thing they demand to have right then and there.  They are not thinking of the inventory of toys they have at home that occupy their attention daily. They do not care what you think nor are they thinking of how you will handle the situation as they throw themselves on the floor of the store and scream as if someone is physically attacking them.  They want what they see now and do not understand why you as their parent decide not to get it for them.  How would we respond if we were the mom or dad of the screaming little human we gave birth to only a few years earlier?

• Do we smack their hands until they stop yelling, with “I’ll give you something to cry about!” (I never quite understood those words.)
• Do we look around to see who is looking at them and now us in despair?
• Do we throw our own temper and join them on the floor to prove we can be demanding too?  (Yeah, that’ll teach them.) (Sarcasm)
• Do we leave our purchases behind, leave the area, and find a quiet place to talk with them without the attention of onlookers?  Do we remind them that our love for them never stops no matter how loud they yell?  Do we hold them until the crying ceases and they relax in our arms of love?
• Do we just wait until the tantrum is over; then go on about our way as if nothing happened?
• Do we give in, buy what they want so they will stop yelling? Does this demonstrate our love for them or just wanting to control the situation quickly without teaching them?

We have all seen these various ways that parents handle the temper outburst of their children.  The teaching responsibilities of parents are weighty and not easy.  It will never be easy.  They will always be our children no matter what their age!  Our prayers will never cease for them and our love will remain unchanging and forever.

But we have supreme help! By wholly leaning on God’s wisdom with learning to parent by His example of being a forever loving, patient, faithful, Father to us, we can do this.  We can learn to be like Him as one who waits until the yelling stops to lean down, teach us and help us to remember His love for us.

Parents, we can do this—after prayers requesting help from our Father in Heaven, in Jesus Name!  Prayers come with His power to overcome young tempers with our own relentless love for our children until the tantrums cease.

The Psalmist, Asaph is having a bit of temper tantrum in front of our Father God who has heard it all! Asaph is overstressing about his current conditions and circumstances that are out of his control—as most of life is uncontrollable!  After yelling out to God in despair; Asaph remembers to remember!  He remembers all ways that God has shown is love to His people and He is grateful. His grateful remembering shifts his thinking and refocuses his mind to God who never leaves His people and will always love them faithfully. 

Psalm 77, The Message

I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might,
    I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens.

^2-6 I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord;
    my life was an open wound that wouldn’t heal.
When friends said, “Everything will turn out all right,”
    I didn’t believe a word they said.
I remember God—and shake my head.
    I bow my head—then wring my hands.
I’m awake all night—not a wink of sleep;
    I can’t even say what’s bothering me.
I go over the days one by one,
    I ponder the years gone by.
I strum my lute all through the night,
    wondering how to get my life together.

^7-10 Will the Lord walk off and leave us for good?
    Will he never smile again?
Is his love worn threadbare?
    Has his salvation promise burned out?
Has God forgotten his manners?
    Has he angrily stomped off and left us?
“Just my luck,” I said. “The High God retires
    just the moment I need him.”

^11-12 Once again I’ll go over what God has done,
    lay out on the table the ancient wonders;
I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished,
    and give a long, loving look at your acts.

^13-15 O God! Your way is holy!
    No god is great like God!
You’re the God who makes things happen;
    you showed everyone what you can do—
You pulled your people out of the worst kind of trouble,
    rescued the children of Jacob and Joseph.

^16-19 Ocean saw you in action, God,
    saw you and trembled with fear;
    Deep Ocean was scared to death.
Clouds belched buckets of rain,
    Sky exploded with thunder,
    your arrows flashing this way and that.
From Whirlwind came your thundering voice,
    Lightning exposed the world,
    Earth reeled and rocked.
You strode right through Ocean,
    walked straight through roaring Ocean,
    but nobody saw you come or go.

²⁰ Hidden in the hands of Moses and Aaron,
You led your people like a flock of sheep.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Grown-ups still have tantrums too.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” in this when frustrated by life’s circumstances.  We cry out to God when life does not give us what we want or think we cannot do without.  We cry out to God when unexpected circumstances overwhelm us and our peace fades to despair with woe-is-me attitudes.  We say unloving and unkind words or do hurtful things out of frustration that affect everyone around us.

But God does not walk away; He waits until the irrational yelling ceases and we are ready to listen. Our Father reminds us of all He has done, is doing, and will continue to do in our lives committed to Him because He loves us still.  God also disciplines us by helping us clean up the mess we make when then our tempers flare and hurt others in the fallout of our words of bitterness. God does not condemn us; He convicts us of our sins then corrects us with unconditional love.  God then comforts with knowledge of His compassionate work of salvation going on within us then compels us once more with desire to be like Him as we walk with Him.

Our best response?

Listen to Him. Embrace the grace God gives.  Tap into the power of His Holy Spirit living in us to lead us to truth. Read about Jesus who was the Word made flesh and lived on earth among all humans to teach God’s relentless unchanging love, boundless mercy, and unending grace.  Then, with the Spirit leading us, walk with Him.  Be transformed by Him who loved us so much He died for our sins so that we might live eternally with Him.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17

And like Asaph; “Once again I’ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I’ll ponder all the things you’ve accomplished, and give a long, loving look at your acts. God! Your way is holy!  No god is great like God!” Psalm 77
Lord,

I remember. I repent. I surrender to your transforming work within me. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Lead me, Lord. All day long, I will meditate on the works of your Hands.

In Jesus Name, Amen