“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2
THIS ISN’T WORKING!!! I’m not sure if these words sound familiar to you, but I have heard them in my own mind more often than I’d like to admit. As a mother of young children, I spend much of my time and energy seeking effective methods for training and disciplining these precious lives entrusted to my care. I have found no shortage of opinions on parenting approaches. Yet, these conflicting voices eventually turnoff the lights and leave me alone in my confusion and self-defining failure. Am I alone? Or am I truly surrounded by droves of other parents silently struggling to find positive answers as well? It’s as if we are in the middle of an overcrowded neighborhood pool with many other “drowning” families. Yet, we put on our we-have-it-all-together smile and post another cute picture of our kids on Facebook. Behind the scenes, we are aching for answers. We love these little people with all our hearts, but often feel we fall short of God’s plan for us in their precious lives.
My For Now Plan:
As I have matured, I have learned not all problems can be solved in one day, nor can all projects be completed staying up all night. Sometimes, we need a For Now Plan.
My For Now Plan is simple.
1) Get still.
2) Gather scripture on the matter.
3) Read and pray scripture daily until revelation for action is clear.
Rather than continually confessing the negative behavior we see in our children as our fears build walls, let’s silence the opposing opinions and go to THE source for our lives. I have recently written out a prayer that is my current For Now Plan. I humbly and vulnerably share it here, along with supporting scriptures, hoping to encourage another parent silently looking for answers today. You are not alone!
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A Parent’s Prayer
Lord, please help me proclaim Your thoughts on the matter at hand. Please help me to be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Please help me patiently correct, rebuke and encourage your children with good teaching. (II Timothy 4:2)
I confess that my children:
…love discipline and correction.
…listen to correction and grow in understanding.
…learn from correction and are wise.
…pursue godliness.
…are hungry for knowledge.
…accept discipline and correction so they will stay on the pathway to life.
…bring joy to their father and cherish their mother.
…understand that we correct them because we love them and delight in them.
…listen when they are corrected.
…pay attention and learn good judgment.
…turn not away from godly instruction.
…are diligent and reject indifference.
…obey their daddy’s commands and heed their mother’s instruction.
…trust in the Lord with all their hearts.
…do not lean on their own understanding.
…seek the Lord’s will in all they do.
…fear the Lord and are wise.
…abound in humility and gratitude.
…keep their parents words always in their hearts and tie them around their necks.
…remember and accept their parents’ godly commands as a lamp, our instruction as a light, and our corrective discipline as the way to life.
When they walk, godly counsel will lead them.
When they sleep, godly counsel will protect them.
When they awake, godly counsel will advise them.
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Scripture Reference (NLT):
– Proverbs 15: 5, 9, 10, 14, 20, 32, 33
– Proverbs 10:17
– Proverbs 4:1-2
– Proverbs 6:23
– Proverbs 12:1
– Proverbs 3:1-35
– Revelation 3:19
© 2015 Lesley Sturm
