Believe for It: When Passing on Faith Is DifficultSample

Day 4: Optimizing Divine Appointments

As we seek to pass faith on to the next generation, we will face moments where we have no idea what to do. When my son moved to Australia to get space from us and do his own thing, my husband and I had to let him go and trust his path to the Lord. But as I prayed for God’s will to be done in my son’s life, the Holy Spirit, knowing all the hearts involved, and the mind of God- joined me in my pleas. What an extraordinary gift God offers us through His Holy Spirit!

Romans 8:26 tells us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” No matter what our circumstances, the Holy Spirit will help us in the task of passing down faith.

One of my biggest regrets is that I sometimes employed a one-size-fits-all method of raising my children. My son and daughter were two very different people with different personalities, needs, and motivators. I wish I had invited the Holy Spirit more in the process of raising my children and relied on Him more to give me wisdom for parenting each individual child. Even so, God was faithful to lead and guide me during those years. When my children were teens, there were many times the Holy Spirit would prompt me to sit down and ask one of them a series of questions, or go to their bedrooms and check a few drawers. In those moments, I discovered that there were issues I needed to address.

The Holy Spirit specializes in non-random encounters with others. As we ask the Helper to give us opportunities, our eyes will be opened to the assignments He is providing every day. I like to start the day by asking, “Lord, what divine appointments do you have for me today? Help me to keep in step with You.” Once we are at a divine appointment, the Holy Spirit helps us to be spiritually quick on our feet. In Luke 12:11-12 Jesus told His disciples: “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Even in the most challenging or tense conversations, the Holy Spirit gives us the words to say. Looking back on some of the most difficult discussions I’ve had with my children, I can see how the Spirit gave me exactly the right words to say. Thanks to the Helper, we don’t have to be great theologians or orators to effectively guide our children through the truths of God’s Word. In our parenting journey, God’s Holy Spirit is always there, giving us peace, hope, and power.

Question to Consider

How have you relied on the Holy Spirit in the task of passing on faith? What is one way you can depend on the Holy Spirit more in your parenting?