When You’ve Reached Your Limits

Did you teach them enough? Did you say the right things? Do they understand the seriousness of the consequences? Will they make the right choices when you aren’t there?

No matter how much we want to guide or even helicopter-parent our children, at some point they must make their own decisions. We must let them go, let them try, and even let them fail. As we give them more responsibilities, we must trust that the Lord will be with them when we cannot, and will lead them far better than we can. In hardship or temptation, our deepest prayer is that our children will hold to the Lord. We cannot keep them from experiencing either of these things, but God will hold onto them.

The LORD will fight for you, and you won’t have to do a thing.

Exodus 14:14 (CEV)

When the Israelites had their back to the Red Sea and the Egyptian army was closing in, the Lord promised he would fight for them. They only needed to hold still. They were completely weak and vulnerable, and they needed him to come through. There was nothing they could do. And when he did give them a way out—through the sea—their rejoicing was great.

It is so exciting (and such a relief!) to see the Lord work in your children’s lives when you let him. It takes great faith to let go, but God loves your children even more than you do, and he will convict, affirm, and rescue in ways you never can. He can prick their conscience, speak in their dreams, and send other messengers when they need it most. And God alone can change their hearts.

When you can’t be there, God is.

When you aren’t strong enough or don’t know what to do, he is and he does.

When you fail, he never will.

When you don’t have the resources, physically or even emotionally, he does. He can meet every need with overflowing generosity.

So, be still. Rest in his love and direction for your child. Rejoice as you see him fight the battles for your child’s soul that you cannot.

PRAY

Lord, thank you for your love and strength. Please hold my children. Keep pulling them back to you. You alone can save. Amen.

TIME TO TALK

Conversation starter for kids: (Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.)

Question(s): How do you know right from wrong when mom and dad aren’t there to tell you?

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: (These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.)

Psalm 46:10

Philippians 3:3