Parenting can be tough! I have two boys that are ten years apart and I’ve learned a lot from parenting. This Wednesday Work Blog, let’s discuss different aspects of parenting.
Are you aware that parenting is full of growth spurts and spiritual mile markers? Well it is. And growth hurts… parents need to keep that in mind—for life. Let’s face it one is a parent for life! That’s a true statement regardless of your thoughts on the matter. I see older parents fight against this aspect. But if you look closely at the Scriptures you see the opposite. The Church is to come alongside the family. But uniquely for each family, God calls each member to walk according to his ways. And that means iron sharpening iron… inside the family unit first. Then those members may assist other members in the Church. But if they’re not living those Scriptures out in their own lives, how can they possibly advise others? First live it out in your own family. And that’s hard and no one enjoys being the piece of iron to sharpen others.
Parents have to sharpen their kiddos. Eventually those kiddos turn back to question with that same standard that’s been taught. If God’s word means it for the children, it means it for the parents too… right? Right, it does. And please believe me… they will ask that!
Another way the Lord speaks to us is when we’re trying to drive a point home to them. As they seem stiff necked to God and to us God speaks. He seems to hold a mirror up to us and say, “Look familiar?” And we see it. We see a copy of our relationship with the Lord. We see his heart more clearly in why he teaches us what he teaches us. We see his intention and desires that he has for us and our relationship with him. We long to reach our children and… He longs to reach us. We begin to see how we can’t teach anything we haven’t yet learned or are not practicing. And if we try to side step this we find we’re like the Pharisees—and our kids will see through that façade.
I remember when my boys were younger. I could not believe how different they were. I was using the same parenting skills I used with my older son with the younger one. These were skills I thought brought on the parenting compliments (by the droves) with my first son. Yet those same skills with the second son were not producing the same results. Long story short, I went to the Lord to inquire of him.
He clearly told that the way my boys were had nothing to do with me but everything to do with how he made them. They were uniquely made by him. I realized the truth of this and rejoiced and then repented… because I realized all those compliments belonged to him—not me. I then asked him, “Then how do I parent them?” He was probably like, “Glad you asked me, little girl of mine.” He went on to tell me to raise them according to how he made them. He told me to teach them how to shine for him in their strengths and in their weaknesses. He reminded me that he’s in all things perfecting us all as we lean on him.
I could write so much more, but this is enough for today. Suffice it to say, go to God in and about all things… especially family life and parenting. Speak into one another in him and be sure to listen to what he’s saying to your own heart. If we allow him to work in us first, this opens doors—as others will see his work already working in us.
This Hump-Day Wednesday, remember to seek him in your family life. Seek to be sharpened by him and others in your Christian family. And remember to allow his using you to be that iron that sharpens other family members too. Then… when you live it out in your home, you’ll be more equipped to move outside the walls of your house to help others. And remember… Friday is always acomin’ but more importantly, Christ is coming back too!