Even when we blow it, we are welcomed back! (Our kids too)

Fear is a natural reaction in most parents. We love our kids so much that the thought of anything bad happening to them sends us into a panic. Yet, if we’re not careful, this anxiety can become overbearing.

Here are some of my favorite Bible verses about fear:

1 Timothy 1:7	Psalm 55:1-2, 4-5	Psalm 27:1
Isaiah 41:10	Psalm 34:4	Philippians 4:6-7
Matthew 6:25-34	1 Peter 5:6-7	John 14:27

We should fear loving our kids too much. Is that possible? Can we love our kids too much? Yes! The Bible says it's possible for us to make the love of our children an idol.

Sheila Wray Gregoire is a freelance writer. In a recent article in Christianity Today she said,

“It’s easy to think that we have control over our children’s futures. The fact is, most of the time, our kids’ lives turn out completely different than we plan.”

And yet, God is not surprised. When the God of the universe looked down into our families, He decided to give us these children. Our kids were handpicked especially for us. Lovingly, God fashioned these works of art and carefully placed them in our arms. But He waits nearby, ever ready to help us with any need. Who could better help us? He wrote the manual. Let's look at promises in His manual for raising kids.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

God cares about what we care about. He cares about these children He has entrusted to us. Listening to our every call, God grants us wisdom to be the responsible parents he made us to be, and He tells us to call on him anytime we need Him. Lovingly He meets our needs.

Matthew 7:11 [Jesus promised] If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

God is waiting to give to us and to bless us.

Proverbs 22:6 Teach a youth about the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it.

God instructs us to train our children. He assures us that if we do, that training will somehow stay with our children. What a comfort it is to know that if we obey God, even if our children stray from the right path we have shown them, they can come back to it. We see this illustrated with the prodigal son. What a perfect picture of how God is with us. Even when we blow it, we are welcomed back into his arms. How wonderful that God our Father can show us how to parent. Even the things that were never modeled for us, God can teach us.

• Think about a specific way that God helped you raise one of your children. What was unique about it?
• Think about a hope you have for your children when they grow up.
• What is one character trait you possess that you pray does not get passed down to your children? Now that is scary to think about isn't it?
• Other than prayer, think about something you do to encourage your children’s spiritual growth. How has it been helpful? Faith walk? Faith talk? Faith mission?

With God’s help, we parents can lesson our anxieties and learn to trust God with our kids.
Be not afraid!