~I have to confess: I have a love/hate relationship with Sundays. One thing I do enjoy being out of the house for is church on Sunday mornings. But Sunday mornings also bring me to my knees in prayer. Our daughter has a tough time in church, and by tough time I mean she is so defiant-she talks incessantly because she knows she shouldn't and she moves constantly because she knows we would like for her to sit still. My husband and I are usually completely exhausted by the time church is over. We feel like we are working so hard and seeing no progress...but that's just it.
We are the ones working so hard. Yes, according to God's word we are responsible to "train a child up in the way he should go", but often times we leave God out of the equation and try to take care of her behavior on our own power. J. C. Ryle stated the following in The Duties of Parents (originally published in 1888):
Without the blessing of the Lord, your best endeavors will do no good. He has the hearts of all men in His hands, and except he touch the hearts of your children by His Spirit, you will weary yourself to no purpose. Water, therefore, the seed you sow on their minds with unceasing prayer.
So my husband and I will continue to train her up in the way she should go, because we believe in God's promise that when she is old she will not turn from it (Proverbs 22:6). And we shall continue to pray over the matter, because as Ryle reminded us, we are to be in "unceasing prayer" for the desires we have for our child's heart.
And lastly, I am reminded that all our efforts are in vain without the blessing of the Lord. He will change her heart in His good time, and in the meantime, Jason and I will believe in God's promises and "be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..." (Psalm 37:7)
Thank you for the wonderful reminder that we can parent til we are blue in the face (sometimes literally) but if we don't go to the Lord in prayer, our efforts can be in vain. I'll have to re-read this post many times, on those really hard days when I need to refocus:)
ReplyDeleteLove hearing your honest heart - we are going to be there to cheer you on and rejoice as she grows in the nurture and admonition of the Lord!!! Good friends and pillows are really good at propping us up when we are a bit weary from training and nurturing our little ones - Good friends bring our tired hearts encouragement and pillows bring our tired minds rest. Sending you a hug today!!!
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