I am taking a moment to put into words what I am leaning into as a mom these days. I have three girls. One is high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary. It’s a crazy, beautiful time. I have moments when I feel like I’m the best mom in the WHOLE world 😉 and other times where I am convinced, truly, that my kids would be better off without me. I don’t say that to scare anyone, but it’s important to know that these thoughts as a mom are real. They happen, and in the low moments, I am so thankful that I know that I am not the be-all, end-all for my girls. They, like me, have a Heavenly Father that loves them more deeply than I ever could and knows and understands them more than I ever will. While humbling, it’s the truth.
From new relationships, scary illnesses and rashes, sleepless nights, to friendship woes, tests, teachers, and all the things of childhood, our kids have a lot going on. Those that can sometimes have a lot to say about it, and other time they don’t. Even if they aren’t sharing it, they are feeling it (as is the rest of the family). Especially with all girls in the house, there is no hiding when someone is struggling. It’s more than obvious. Then you add sisters to the mix, and they love to share each other’s drama or withhold it in solidarity. Either way, I often find myself on the fringes. Sometimes I get the heart download. Other times I get “fine” and “good” when clearly their world is ending. I can ask all the questions, and often do to the point of annoyance. I can investigate through the sisters, and come out enlightened or dismissed. Or, I can pray.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
This verse says so much. Do not be anxious about anything… As a mom, I am quick to spiral. I am quick to get stuck in the worry of the worst case scenario. But then Paul says, “but in every situation” go to the Lord. Pray. Then He says “with thanksgiving”. I will tell you that, without a doubt, gratitude has changed everything for me. If I start my conversation with the Lord with the things I am grateful for about that specific child that is making me spiral, my heart immediately begins to redirect from the anxiety. As a side note, if you are experiencing loads of anxiety, one practical step is to begin practicing gratitude. I would suggest writing it down daily. You will begin to see things differently with a hope you didn’t know you had. Paul goes on to say that the “peace of God” will be the result of this kind of conversation with the Lord. Aren’t we searching and aching for peace? I am looking for the “it’s all going to be okay – for REAL” experience. Once you have experienced that kind of peace, it’s truly life changing. It literally, almost tangibly, hangs over you. Paul says it “transcends all understanding,” and it does. He goes on to say that the same peace will guard you and your mind. So essentially taking ALL things to the Lord will result in unexplainable peace that will protect you from the same spiral again. This sounds beautiful to me, and simple. Yet, we often don’t do it. We don’t pray… we instead harp, over-explain, over-ask, over correct. The reality is if we actually took these things to the Lord, He would remind us that it is HIM and His Spirit that changes people. Lectures and questions may contribute to your children hearing the Lord and being open, but ultimately, it’s the power of the Holy Spirit that changes them.
I am preaching to myself here. If the Word of God is right and true, then Paul telling us to take everything in all situations to the Lord is not just a sweet little verse in the Bible. It’s the best way to actually engage the One True God that can encournter your children and change them. So what does this look like. Here is one way to pray for them (there are many):
Thank you, Lord, for ___(child’s name)___. Thank you that he/she is ______, _______, and __________. Please help him/her to feel your presence and know that You are near. Please speak __________ to him/her. (This is where you ask for God to speak what you were hoping to say.) Come and be near to __(child’s name)___, Lord Jesus. Thank you, Father.
You may pray this over and over and over in a day, but it will be the single most important catalyst to encouraging, loving, and speaking to your kids. Taking our kids back to their Creator and their Sustainer will allow us to see our kids from His point of view and share in His heart for them. Sometimes I share with my kids what I am praying for them, and many more times, I just pray. Either way, it’s by the power of the Holy Sprint that people are changed, encouraged, loved. So, let’s help usher Him to our kids for His power to reign.
