Looking for the King

Max's devotion today was about the great Majesty of Jesus and how we needed to look for him at all times. So I spent today looking for him. And, although I have no touching stories about "seeing him in the face of a child" - my children were HORRENDOUS today - reminding myself to seek him did help me gain a little perspective on the day.

I also read another chapter by him (during one of the many times that my children were in time out at school) about how the universe is centered around God, not us. He says that if we could shift our way of thinking to reflect that, then life wouldn't be about God making us happy. Here's my favorite quote:

We'd see our suffering differently. "My pain proves God's absence" would be replaced with "My pain expands God's purpose".

As frustrated as I am with those children, God has a purpose for it. God wants me there. God is using me there. God is growing me there. I prayed about this move and this job, and am convinced that I am in the right place. I have yet to see the reason for it - as short-tempered as I am, I am sure that it does not have to with me helping these children. But God knows it. And today, when those children had their heads down for the 14,000th time because for the 42,000th time they had ignored everything I just asked them to do...I prayed. My prayer was "God give me patience" Tomorrow my prayer should be "God, show me your purpose so that I can further it". I'll try and remember.