Battle-Weary Parents for Parenting in CrisisSample

 DAY FOUR: He is Sustaining You

There have been so many times that I’ve been right there with David in this passage of scripture. Facing so many trials at once and having no one around who truly understood the depths of my despair or the fierceness of my hope that we would ultimately prevail. In this place when I felt so alone, I turned to the Lord, knowing that even in this, He was present, protecting, and providing. In great tears and choking agony, I cried out to Him and laid it all at His feet. I slept and awoke the next morning with a new strength to face the situation again for another day. Sometimes the situation had changed, but most of the time it hadn’t. Nothing was different in the natural, what was different was inside me in the spiritual. I deeply trust God and His word—deeply. It was the only thing that could sustain me. period. 

When you are in the midst of a conflict with your child. Or as we’ve been, in a crushing and tiring season of rebellion, rejection, and angst, the only hope you have to survive is your ability to see the Lord in the midst of the battle. In this passage of scripture, David clearly captures. three critical components to surviving these tumultuous seasons. 

First, you have to be honest about what’s happening. David didn’t start this prayer with, “Thank you, Lord, for another day. Although things look bad right now, I trust you.” No. He started with, “This SUCKS! Everything around me is going wrong and everyone around me is clueless how to help and think I’ve completely lost my mind….and my salvation!” We have a tendency to sugar coat bad stuff because we feel like it lessens our witness. Simply put, that’s a lie. God needs us to be real and raw with Him. And others need to see us turn to God and trust Him, even when it’s bad, really bad. That’s the only way they’re going to know to turn to Him when their stuff is bad, too. It heightens our witness!

Second, you have to recognize that God alone is more than enough. Period. Although you’re feeling overwhelmed and pressured, He is still your shield, and you have absolutely no idea how many other fiery darts of the enemy He is protecting you from at that very moment. No matter how bad things get, they could always be worse. I love the image that David paints here of the Lord being the lifter of our head. It brings to mind the image of a parent gently tilting a crying child’s chin so that the child’s eyes can meet theirs, and they can say, “It’s all okay, honey.” In the midst of our agony, He gently coaxes us to lift our tear-filled faces toward His, and hear His voice, “It’s all going to be okay, honey.” He alone is more than enough. 

Lastly, you have to allow yourself to rest. Your body, mind, and spirit all need the quiet of rest. Sleep is one of our body’s most healing functions. Our minds sort out the issues from the day, making sense of sorrow and loss. Without sleep, we can’t properly process thoughts and understanding. Have you ever gone to sleep thinking about a problem only to wake up the next morning and suddenly think of a solution? That isn’t an accident. That’s how He designed us. We need daily rest. In crisis, we need more rest. Don’t allow the enemy to tell you it’s selfish to nap and sleep. It’s not, it’s the best thing you can do to help solve the issue and gain the personal strength to keep going. 

Like, David, we will find ourselves in moments where it feels like everything is falling apart and no one understands. But you are not alone. Don’t fear the trial that sits before you. Trust in the God who knows all things, created all things, and promises that all things will work together for your good. He is sustaining you. 

______

I encourage you to spend time with your spouse (or a trusted friend if you're single) to answer the following questions. 

Discussion Questions – DAY FOUR: He Is Sustaining You

1. Have you ever been truly honest in prayer and told God how you really feel about life? Why do you think it’s so difficult to be brutally honest with God, even though we know he already knows?

2. Today’s devotion says, “You have to recognize that God alone is more than enough.” Is it easy for you to accept that all you need is God? Why do you think this recognition is important for you during this struggle?

3. Read Psalm 34:19. Why do you think the scripture isolates a “righteous person” when it talks about going through many trials? 

4. How well are you currently resting? What is one thing you can do to make sure that you’re getting the rest that you need to recover and build your strength?