I DON'T DO TEENAGERS â—½ HOME
I know every parent that loves their kids and loves God wants their kids to love God…that for sure is the #1 hope, am I right? And while many of us have different ways of trying to ensure that faith is planted and grows to maturity, there are many of us that worry because what we see in our kids isn’t quite what we hoped for and prayed for, and we worry…what about their faith?
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This story this month of December is a gift to you as parents, as you lay down that heavy load from your shoulders and enjoy the season and the gift of rest, regarding your kiddos:
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If you presented faith to your children the best you knew how, and still do, breathe… You’re not perfect, but God thrives in imperfection and even grows stronger in our weakness. We do our best, and then we leave the rest up to Him.
If you are transparent and let your kids see you thrive, fail, get up and ask forgiveness, and turn to the Word…they will observe that life is hard, but God is good, and His Word is THE RESOURCE for all things good. They may not read it now, like the reference book you wish they would, but they see…and they know…and they will remember.
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If you enjoy your faith through worship, giving, serving, and they see the joy this brings you (and yes, the hard times as well), they will know that the gospel – the good living from the Word of God – is all about these things that sustain. And when they see you give, expecting nothing in return? Well, that’s a deposit of gold.
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If you keep offering a hand up to your kids in prayer, in faith, in instruction, on a daily basis through the life you’re living – as weak and fumbling as you are at times – you deserve a pat on the back! Keep offering, keep doing, just like you keep feeding your kids at the table. They may pick and complain, but when they get hungry they will eat.
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If you can somehow come to the truth that it’s not you that has to be all-knowing, all-perfect, and always present…you can then place your worries down and set your hope in Him. He is all-knowing, all-perfect and always present, when you cannot be and were never created to be.
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We don’t want our kids to be clones of our faith, we want them to see God through everything we do – little to small – pitiful to great – and be the men/women of faith that He’s created them to be. And committing that job over to Him is a big relief, even when we don’t see with our eyes what we think indicates teens with faith.
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Pray over your teens. Live your life loving God and serving others. Serve your family. Love your spouse. Do your best.
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But in reality, nothing we do is best, and everything He does is.
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So, rest. Enjoy the season. Love those teens of yours. Hug them. Affirm them. And lay them in His arms as your gift to Him this Christmas and receive His gift of peace to you…as the parent.