Overwhelming. That’s what parenting is – overwhelming.
God has blessed us parents with one, two….five…or maybe even more children. Each one is unique and needs proper education and training in righteousness. Thinking about everything that is involved with that can cause us to become overwhelmed.
What if we miss something?
Will we mess up our kids?
Will our children be destined to a life of crime and poor decisions?
And so we get our kids involved in anything and everything we can. Music lessons, art lessons, soccer games, basketball practice, boy scouts, service clubs, academic clubs, horseback riding lessons, gymnastics, church activities…and it goes on.
Are you tired yet?
Are your children tired yet?
What are you focusing on?
What *should* we be focusing on?
The Bible tells us exactly what we should be focusing on.
The book of Ecclesiastes was probably written by King Solomon, the wisest man to walk this earth (other than Jesus!). In this book, he questions the meaning and purpose of life. Isn’t that what our children do as they grow? When our children begin to ask questions sometimes we give simple answers and hope they move on. But some questions are worth struggling over. Some questions are worth time and research. Listen to the questions your kids ask.
Maybe the questions can help you focus this New Year. Perhaps it’s these questions we should spend time answering instead of driving to the next activity. Maybe we, as families, need to sit down and discuss the meaning and purpose of life.
What is the meaning and purpose of life anyway? The author of Ecclesiastes, after trying every activity under the sun (sound familiar?), tells us his conclusion:
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. ~ Ecclesiastes 12:13
With this verse in mind, how do we slow down and set the right spiritual focus in our homes?
- Fear God. This does not mean we are to be scared of God, but it does mean recognize who He is and who we are. Fearing God means making him first in everything and making him a part of each decision.
- Communicate with God. When was the last time your family had prayer time? Are you too busy to pray with your kids before bed? What about before they leave on the bus or as you drive them to school? Here are some great ways to incorporate more prayer into your life and speak truth to your kids.
- Keep God’s Commandments. How do you know what God’s commandments are and how do you teach them to your kids? The answer is simple: Read the Bible. The more time you spend reading the Bible the more you will love what God says and that love will transfer to your children. Keeping a simple Bible Journal with your children will help you experience worship through words and art. It’s simple and so fun! {Watching What’s in the Bible? helps, too!}
Once we understand this, how do we keep the focus all year?
“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” ~ Micah 6:8
- Do justice.
- Love kindness.
- Walk humbly with God.
In other words, lead a godly life. That is what the Lord requires of us. What exactly does that look like? and how do we teach it to our children?
First, be aware of your own testimony. How are these principles at work in your own life? Second, go back to Ecclesiastes 12:13 and Micah 6:8. And repeat…often.
Yes, parenting can be overwhelming, but doing our best to stay focused on Jesus will help keep an atmosphere of peace in our homes. Will our efforts cause our kids to make good choices all the time? Probably not. Like us, they have free will. But if our focus is on Jesus, and we communicate the importance of that focus, then the odds of good decision making are greater.
Be patient but diligent, parent! Jesus is on your side, and that’s power!
Anne Marie has a Masters Degree in Education with a focus on Christian Education. She is the author of the blog Future.Flying.Saucers. Anne Marie has a passion for biblically equipping parents and teachers so children can fly for Jesus. On Wednesday nights you will find her teaching Biblical concepts to Awana clubs at her church. All of her Awana and Bible lessons can be found on her blog. You can connect with her on Facebook and Pinterest.
