Trusting God's Plan

January 10, 2021

As I write this, the world continues to reel from COVID-19. We’ve had to add the roles of teacher and grief counselor to everything else we do as parents. Kids have lost a lot, especially when we consider church youth activities, sports activities, or just hanging out with friends. And parents are dealing with their own losses: a service-sector job that was eliminated or made dangerous because of the virus; a healthcare job that may expose those we love the most to possible illness; loss of income that may affect our ability to live day-to-day; or having to put some of our dreams on hold, like buying a house or pursuing higher education.

Believe it: these losses are real. By the time you read this there may be a vaccine, but it may be taking a while to get to you. We will still be living in our communities, counting on each other to take precautions, and trusting God to take care of us. Our children need us to be the heroes and show them the way.

Live into the moment

In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-18, Paul urges us to “...warn anyone who isn’t living right. Encourage anyone who feels left out, help all who are weak, and be patient with everyone.” This includes our kids. They are sensitive to our moods; when we are anxious, they will be anxious. How do you react when things go badly (and with kids, something is likely to “go badly”)? What are the long term effects of spilled milk compared to the long term effects of our overreaction to the spill?

Later in the passage, Paul says, “Always be joyful...” When we look to God as we live and enjoy what we have in front of us—being grateful for every moment—we can be joyful and reflect God's will in our personal relationships. By doing this, we heroically protect our kids from the concerns of the rest of the world.

Model trusting God

Nothing helps your child more than modeling the behaviors you want them to learn.

• Each day, thank God for supplying what you need for the day.
  
• Take your kids on nature walks and point out the constancy of God's provision. The sun always rises, and trees always turn green. God can be trusted.
  
• Parental love is spelled t-i-m-e. Be a consistent, reassuring presence. Activities are less important than a consistent and calm presence.
  
• If kids feel stressed in certain situations, try humor to help them gain perspective. Feeling shy about talking on a Zoom call? Imagine everyone is wearing pajama bottoms instead of pants (some probably are).
  
• If you meditate, involve your kids. Teaching them calming techniques could bring a lifetime of returns.
  
• When something they were worried about goes well, point it out. Encourage them to keep a journal of their concerns, written as prayers, and record how God resolves them.

As adults, we know we can trust God. The next step is bringing that trust into the open and being a hero for our kids.

Want to dig deeper? Check out Family Fire's article Trusting God With Our Children