What Do I Do With Worry? A Devotional for ParentsSample

DAY 1: Cultivating a Grateful Heart

The Bible tells us to name our worries in prayer to God, but it does so with one caveat: name your worries with thanksgiving. That’s because worry and gratitude cannot coexist in the brain. Ask your kids to make a list of what they’re grateful for. You do the same. The more you list, the more you push worry out of your thoughts! 

Helping kids learn to live in gratitude—focusing on what God can do instead of worrying about things we can’t do—leads to courage and helps our kids make brave decisions, knowing God is in control. 

Will things always turn out well? Not necessarily. But as Jesus reminds us, worrying about tomorrow does not do us any good (or anybody else for that matter). When we choose gratitude instead of worry, we can live with more freedom and remain focused on God’s blessings.