I’ve said and done all that I know to say or do.
All I can do now is pray.
These are my thoughts and words when I focus on what I feel like I’ve failed to train or convince a child to do or stop doing.
Parenting can be just plain hard, especially when it comes to training and resolving conflict. We want our kids to appreciate and embrace all that we introduce. We put our hearts into it. We give all we’ve got.
When they challenge us, we mentally rehearse a million potential approaches to conversations to accomplish our goal. We replay and analyze interactions with our child or between our children. We network with other moms for ideas and methods pertaining to our current challenge. We watch for an encouraging change. And when it doesn’t come…
Well, is that when we pray, kinda like our last resort? We’ve done all we can do; we’ve tried every thing we know… so now all that’s left is to just pray. “Just” pray …Hmmm.
It’s taken me a lot of years to REALLY GET THIS: My words to God are most essential. My words and actions with my children are secondarily essential.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7.7-8)
God wants our words to Him to be frequent and intimate, laying our heart before Him.
The more we pray – venting, confessing, asking, forgiving, releasing – we intentionally abide in the Lord. As we abide, God has His way in us. Healing, restoring, giving insight, transforming us. His fruit grows in us. Fruits like patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control – ahh, traits that we desperately need when we’re at our wits end or deeply discouraged.
The more we pray… the less we will say what does not need to be said by us.
The more we pray… the more we will say what is to be said by us.
God gives His wisdom and courage. We learn what to say, when to say, how to say. Words that will affect the heart – for building up, for healing and for change – to His glory.
“But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.” (Deuteronomy 30.14)
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