Spiritual Disciplines for ParentsSample

Day 2

Wouldn’t it be great if there was one parenting book filled with tips that worked for every parent and every child (preferably with cliff notes because we’re all busy)? Sure, we’ve got Google and Siri, but parenting is filled with questions that even AI can’t answer. We’re living in an age where we’re drowning in information, yet starving for wisdom.

But what if the wisdom you need is on the other side of a daily discipline?

James 1:5 (NIRV) says, “If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it. He will give it to you. God gives freely to everyone and doesn’t find fault.”

God is freely offering the thing we’re desperate for, but the gift can’t be received without some grit on our part. We can’t just ask for it – we’ve got to seek it out, and the best place to start is God’s Word.

Think about it: When our kids are learning something new (like how to tie their shoes or drive a car), they have to come to us for help. We’ve got the wisdom they need, but they can’t access what we have if they’re in a different room or rushing by us. They’ve got to slow down, get near us, and focus on what we’re telling them if they want to learn new skills, mature, and grow.

The same is true with us and our Heavenly Father. We’ve got to get in His presence to learn from Him. He doesn’t just know the way — He is the way (John 14:6). And that’s why we must make it a daily discipline to get in the pages of our Bible so we can get into the presence of our God. It’s a discipline that has a domino effect on every other area of our lives.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIRV) says, “God has breathed life into all Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. By using Scripture, the servant of God can be completely prepared to do every good thing.”

When we commit to getting in God’s Word every day, two beneficial things happen. We’ll begin to discover wisdom for every area of our life, and we’ll also demonstrate a spiritual discipline to our children every time they catch us reading our Bible. We’re not just teaching them the way… We’re showing them.

If you’re not sure where to begin when it comes to reading your Bible, here are three tips:

1. Pick a plan. It could be a YouVersion plan like this one, a devotional book, or simply a book of the Bible (we recommend starting with the gospel of John if you’re new to this).
2. Pick a place and a time. Disciplines require intentionality, so schedule it daily until it becomes part of your normal routine.
3. Pick up a pen. Journal what you learn, and highlight what God speaks to you.