Parenting often feels like driving in the fog, constantly second-guessing your decisions and wondering if you are steering them in the right direction.
When they are babies, you worry about things like:
Are they getting enough milk? Am I a bad Mom if I use formula? Tummy time is turning into a terrible time!
Then, when you are sleep deprived, you wonder if your baby will ever sleep longer than 30 minutes. What if they don’t sleep in their own room until they are 16?! Am I the only one worrying about these things?!
Toddler years come and you don’t think you can handle one more tantrum. Am I a bad Mom for thinking my child is driving me insane? Why won’t they eat vegetables?!
When they get to school you stress about: Lack of control, bad grades, negative influences, bullying, and screen time.
You realize the older they get, the less you can control their environments.
If you aren’t careful the list can go on and on making the fog thicker and thicker until you can’t see how to take the next step. You worry your guidance isn’t enough, that you are failing them.
A friend once told me,
“You can’t protect your kids from their testimony.”
Ugh, this hits me so hard!
This isn’t the first time I’m writing about this subject. Obviously, God is still refining me in this area.
It’s hard for me to let them go!
Especially when bad things have happened before. Instead of giving God control, I want to make sure they can’t be harmed again.
I want to be in control.
But then, out of nowhere, you witness unexpected moments that help you see clearly.
It’s in the compassion they show by winning a toy for a child who couldn’t win by himself.
It’s the nights when they finally sleep in their own bed.
It’s when you walk into the house to your daughter cleaning without anyone telling her to.
It’s overhearing your son talking to kids about God and sharing the gospel.
It’s opening your computer to see your screensaver has been changed to “Best Mom Ever.”
It’s seeing your kids play nicely together.
It’s the heart notes that say, “I love you,” the giant hugs and the heartfelt prayers coming from their tiny mouths.
It’s those moments that help you see, “Ok, God, you got this! Help me get out of your way.”
Our God is bigger than what they have faced or will face. If you try to manipulate outcomes, you will miss the in-between miracles, the heartfelt moments, and the deep conversations that lead to God.
Your kids are listening to your conversations. They see how you respond to hard situations, and they want to know about the God that loves them! If they see you in constant fear and worry, THEY will be in constant fear and worry.
BUT if you show them, “Mommy is trusting God through this situation,”
You can be their greatest example by taking a deep breath and pointing to Christ. God will do the rest.
So here I am, again, opening my hands and letting God take control.
I’m tired of being in the way!
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