This coming 7 years of parenthood has been a joyful, meaningful and faithful journey. However, it comes with its set of challenges, worries and doubt. I see more weaknesses, limitations and fears in myself. Motherhood has became a huge part of my life and it is often draining. As I reflect more, it felt that I've been living one day after another with just enough faith and I always deplete it by the end of the day. I seek God but didn't seek enough to get excess faith to grow. Yes, I'm not that strong - without God's power and grace to pull me through, I won't be able to juggle everything like now.
I know it's time for me to seek more fervently and grow.
The devotion plans and sharing from/with my girlfriends have been so helpful that I wish that I can remember them better by writing them down in a post. Below, I summarised the "7 things the Bible says about Parenting" from YouVersion but I encourage you to go through the full devotion plan as I only capture my personal learning points. It also helps to take time to think and pray about them.
1. Building the foundation of our children
What's the calling and responsibility that God has placed on us as parents?
Proverbs 22:6 ESV
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
I was once again reminded that as parents, we have the primary responsibility of building the foundation of faith for our children. Our children are watching our every words and actions. However, we must remember that God doesn't expect us to do this on our own.
The devotion shared 2 simple ways to point our children to God.
1. Pray with and for your children everyday.
Prayers can change everything. It's a lifetime habit and helpline we can help them to achieve from young
2. Don't do it alone
Indeed, it is important to have support from church and fellow brothers & sisters-in-Christ.
2. Love to discipline, discipline to Love
The more love you show your child, the more they will accept your discipline. And, when you apply more discipline to them, you also need to let them know how much you love them. Too much love without discipline can spoil a child and too much discipline without love can damage a child emotionally and drive them away.
Just as we parents love our children and need to discipline them, our Heavenly Father loves his children and will discipline us.
Proverbs 3:12
Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
3. In God's hands
As a parent, our children are gifts from God to provide for, protect, show the love and grace of Jesus, and prepare for their own journey through life. Neither their daily circumstances nor the overall course of their lives are things we get to decide - or have any control over. There are alot of worries and doubts in our parenting journey but we just have to pray for them and entrust them in God's hand. We do not have to be in total control because God is holding them in his all-powerful hands. Most importantly, we are in His hands too - growing our faith along with theirs.
Jude 1:20
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit
4. Watch our hearts
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Always be joyful
Being a parent is a noble and worthy calling, a privilege that God has given us, and one that we will see the fruits of someday.
Never stop praying
Be persistent in prayer throughout the day - even when it feels like everything is spinning around us.
Be thankful
Give thanks for easy days and for harder days. It's through the tough days of parenting, we learn to lean on God.
5. Teach his Words
The best way to make sure our children recognize God's voice is to teach them His Word. However, it's not by simply reciting it to them or them reciting it. Let the children see how you are transformed by the power of God's Word. They need to see it working in us and affecting our daily life. As parents, we're working alongside with the Holy Spirit to teach our kids about God and Kingdom.
Psalm 19:9
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
6. Ask for wisdom
God is faithful to guide my parenting with His wisdom any time I go to Him with a teachable and surrendered heart. He is our resource and will pour His generosity over us. He wants - more than us - for our children to know Him, love Him, serve Him, and be guided by Him.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
7. God is our Heavenly Father and our Defender
He doesn't care what our problems are, the sins we've committed, or where we fall short. If we come to Him, He embraces us like a father, loves us unconditionally, and calls us His daughters and sons.
Psalms 68:5
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
*****
Dear Lord, thank you for your love and always keeping me close to you. May you continue to work in me and guard my heart as I walked this journey of faith and motherhood. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
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