Category: Parent/Child Relationships

PARENTS: We Are Not Perfect

Let’s give God the freedom to do in our children what we cannot do. No matter how hard we try, we will more than likely look back and wish we would have done something differently. That is because we are not perfect and all children will be different. There is no set pattern for parenting. We must use all that we know and do all we can and let God fill in where we cannot.

We must pray continually for our children. For our prayers to be effective, we must be right before God. The example that we set will be the example they follow. Our children will change as we change. The tone we use with them will be the tone of our household and the tone that they develop.

Begin by asking God to show you where you have failed. Ask for forgiveness and wisdom to make changes where needed. This may also be asking your child to forgive you for an action or attitude that was wrong. Thank God for your children and the plans that He has for them. Focus on the positive.

Let’s trust God with the plan He has for our children. His plan is better than our plan all the time. A better plan for them and a better plan for us. Lets submit ourselves to both.

 

 

Prayer: Father God I bring myself to you. Show me where I need to change and where I have failed so that I can be what you want me to be. I thank you for my children that you have given to me for a time. Help me to guide them according to your will that they will fulfill the marvelous plan you have for them. Thank you for a plan to prosper them and not to harm them, a plan to give them a hope and a future.  Help me to not want to control my children but to love them and to guide them, to show them your perfect love that they will have the desire to serve you. Amen.

Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Ephesians 6:4(NIV)
Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

 ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.^[a]

Sorrows Come With Joys of Having Children

When we choose to have kids, we think of joys. They do bring us joy, but many times they bring sorrow with that joy. We watch them battle illness and injury. We watch them struggle through trials of this fallen world. I would hope that most parents would be trying to be the best parent they can be. Knowing the situations in this world leaves some doubt because so many live for themselves and the children are only along for the painful ride. That is a whole other topic but even the children of those parents look to them as if they are perfect.

We are not and will not be perfect parents no matter how much we try. God is the only perfect parent. He knows when to give and when to take away, when to discipline and when to say “good job”. He does all this out of complete and perfect love for us. As our children grow, they begin to see our faults. Some of those faults are not really faults at all, but they do embarrass our kids in front of their peers. Parents can laugh together at the moment and someday the child will mature enough to laugh at the moment also and look forward to having a similar moment with their own child. As our children continue to grow and they begin to see life beyond themselves, they will realize their parents have faults that are truly faults, sin that has come into their lives and caused consequences for all involved.

Many times relationships get broken by the things we do or don’t do. This world is fallen and broken. We can allow that brokenness to control us or we can choose to rise above it. God offers us Jesus so that we can overcome the sin in this world. The second part of John 16:33 says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Through Jesus Christ, we can also overcome this world and we can mend relationships and change our faults and our past sins into victories. Jesus was tormented, battered, experienced physical and mental anguish and still chose and continues to choose to be there to love us and wants a relationship with us no matter how we have treated Him in the past.

Whatever you experience in life, rest assured that it has been filtered through the hands of Jesus and he will bring you through to completion if you allow Him to work in your life. It does not matter if you are on the parent end or the child end, He can mend the broken heart and the relationship. The broken heart can be mended with the obedience of that individual. The relationship will need participation from both parties but God can still intervene to allow that to become reality. The key is to allow Him to work and that is only done by our asking and then being obedient to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.