5:50am.

That’s what time I heard the sound this morning. I’ve heard the same sound for quite a while, but recently the sound has been happening earlier and earlier.

7am.

6:45am.

6:15am.

6am.

And today…5:50am.

What was the sound? It was the sound of our 2 year old opening up his bedroom door.

If you’re a parent you know that sinking feeling you get when you thought you might be able to hit “snooze” and sleep a bit longer, all to be awoken up by someone who is NOT going to let you go back to sleep.

And if you stay home with your kids, that means your day with your kids just got much longer.

I was already awake and getting started with my day when I heard that sound, but I felt bad for Rachel who would be with the kids all day.

“What’s wrong with him!?”

“Why won’t he sleep!?”

“Why is he going backwards on his sleep schedule?!”

“We’ve told him to sleep and to stay in his room, why won’t he just listen?!”

“What’s next, 5am? 4am?!”

I thought all these things. Said some of them. And I was definitely frustrated.

After I cooled down it wasn’t long before I was reminded of something that hit me like a ton of bricks.

God is patient with me.

In all my screw ups. In all my mistakes. In all my failures. In all my disobedience. In all my sins. He isn’t so frustrated or so angry that I’m not “getting it” that He’s on the verge of giving up on me. Instead, He’s patient with me.

And it doesn’t matter what time it is. That one day at 3:27pm when I did that thing I now regret. That one morning at 9:43am when I said that thing I now regret. That one 6pm, evening rush hour drive home when I thought that thing I now regret. And this morning, at 5:50am when I reacted in a way I now regret.

He’s patient with me. And that’s good news.

I love how Paul put it in Romans 8:

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, NIV)

I know you may be going through more difficult challenges in your life personally than having a kid wake up early.

I just encourage you to remember God’s love and God’s patience for you. And then, let that reality compel you to love and patience with those you interact with.

I’m definitely going to remember that tomorrow morning when my son cracks open his door.

Even if it’s 5:50am.