When You Give Up

I. Can’t. Do. This!

The sheer exhaustion of being up all night with toddlers.

The mental gymnastics of arguing with a teenager.

The emotional dragging of a third grader through math homework.

The nightly wrestling opponents of guilt and anxiety over wrong things we’ve done, good things left undone, and the uncertainty of the future.

These realities leave parents saying at one time or another, “I can’t do this.” Parenting requires strength, wisdom, and resources that God alone can provide.

Thank the Lord, he does have it all. And he freely offers it to us.

The LORD can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. Deep in my heart I say, “The LORD is all I need; I can depend on him!”

Lamentations 3:23-24 (CEV)

Our children are not our own. They are on loan from the Lord. And we depend on him to help us do the hard, though rewarding, work of raising them—physically, mentally, spiritually. God has given us the challenge to raise godly kids, despite our weaknesses and potential to sabotage the process, even with our best efforts. And we accept the responsibility, relying on his mercy shown to us each day.

Sometimes we focus too much on our mistakes. We too often compare ourselves to other parents—those in our kids’ classrooms, on the sports field, on social media. Yes, we even compare ourselves to parents we don’t know on Instagram, whose feeds are filled with carefully curated and edited parenting moments.

Let’s get real.

Parenting is hard. And no parent is perfect. But, despite our failures or inexperience, God does not want us to live under that guilt, anxiety, overwhelming pressure, and feeling like a failure.

So, we do our best. We work alongside the Lord, trusting him to do what we cannot. We wake up daily, seeking God’s mercy when we do wrong. And we pray to Jesus for strength, guidance, and wisdom as we lead our children. We are the little boy in a three-legged race with his massive father who carries him over the finish line, laughing all the way.

Work, and trust the Lord. Then, don’t be surprised when your children don’t remember the bad words you said that one time, or they do remember your wise words that you can’t imagine you could have said, or they remember your sinful actions—but the Lord brought tremendous growth out of their experiencing it.

PRAY

Oh, Lord, not only do I need what you provide, but I also need you. I will rest in you, believe and trust you. Please help me do my part in raising these little ones of yours. 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): What do you think makes someone a good parent?

Apply: Take time to listen to the responses. Admit to your children that sometimes you make mistakes as a parent and apologize if necessary. Remind them you are only human, but that God is by your side all the time helping you be a godly parent.

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.)

Proverbs 3:5-6

Philippians 4:6-7