If you are a parent, you know about worry. We want to trust God, but it's easy to get bogged down in everyday life, and in being human Lately, I have let stress and worry about my children eat away at me til I've been worn down to a pathetic useless frazzle. It's my own fault. When we take our eyes off Him and start looking down at the waves, we will sink every time. Today I was reading an article and one sentence jumped out at me: "Children crave their parents’ attention because it makes them feel known—deeply and intrinsically” (Mia Mauss).
I hope and pray my children feel that I know them. Divorce rips apart families and no matter what, the children always lose. I can't undo the damage. I can't fix it for them. Those of you that have intact families, thank God for it. Don't waste that precious gift. Don't take it for granted. Make the most of it. I never thought it would happen to me or my children. It was not my choice, and not having my children with me for ANY amount of time has NEVER been my choice. It would be very easy to be bitter and just abandon hope. I've been at that heart wrenching, completely broken, point so many times.
I would like to be able to tell you that God always bails out the children and they are protected from the pain and loss. But that isn't true. Mine have suffered great loss, they still do, they always will. I've fought, struggled, cried, prayed, beat down heaven’s doors, but in the end, I can't make it be the way I want for my children. They live in a sin-cursed world, just like me, and will always suffer because of the choices of others. It's not fair. It just isn't. It is reality.
But, I choose not to be bitter. I choose HOPE! I know that we love and serve a big God and that He is more than able to bring my children through and home safe to Heaven. He will even bring them joy in this earthly life! He loves them far more than I even do. He knows everything that has happened to them, every heartbreak, every triumph, every battle, every joy. He knows and He cares. He won't let them fall. He said He wouldn't and I believe Him! All the good and all the bad that has happened to them, HE alone, can work it all towards their good. That is His promise!
I have one right now that is pretty angry with God and has chosen not to believe in Him. He knows that and He loves them anyway. He knows their heart and soul and every single heartbreak they have suffered. He knows the pain and anger and anguish that has surrounded them. But more than that, He has a redemption for them -- JOY for them. I'm praying, I'm trusting, I'm believing that God will take this that we have created and redeem it. He has loaned my children to me for a little while, but they are HIS!
So today, I'm letting go of the stress, the fear, the guilt, the constant worry that breaks down my soul and shatters my heart. I'm letting go and grabbing hold of JOY. I’m trusting in a God who cannot fail! I’m resting in His big, powerful, sheltering, loving hand and putting my four beautiful children right there with me.
by Tracy Thornton
Linked to:
Women with Intention
A Little R and R
Hope in Every Season
11 comments:
beautiful.
Yes. All to Him, especially those we love (praying for others to know Christ is an ultimate form of love!!) Blessings!
I join you, Tracy, in that prayer of letting go and holding onto our unfailing God. We are known and loved by Him. Thank you, Pamela, for sharing your heart and Tracy's words at #IntentionalTuesday on Intentionally Pursuing. : )
Very well said!
You are doing the right thing. Lay it all at the master's feet. He will heal all of the emotional wounds from the past. Keep talking to Him. He will take care of you and your children.
Giving our kids to the Lord 100% is hard, yet easy at the same time. My 20yr old is in his 3rd year as a full time missionary to the youth of America with The 99.
Oh my dear sister I know exactly what you are going through. I have been divorced for 14 years and have been raising my two kids alone ever since. One of my children struggles with loving and trusting God but you are doing the right thing.
It's hard but as parents the only thing we can do is hand them over to God and pray until we can't pray anymore.
Looking back now I see that I didn't really focus on the hurt my children were feeling at the time. They were very young and I thought I could love them enough to spare them from the hurt of not having their father. The one thing I learned is that no matter how hard I try I will never make a good dad, so the only thing I can do is be the best mom I know how to be and allow God to fill in all the gaps.
So true. Sometimes all we can do is hand a person over to God and trust God to work in their heart.
Tracy, I've "fought, struggled, cried, prayed and beat down heaven's doors" too on behalf of my children. In the end, accepting circumstances He allows and channeling all the energy I spent beating and fighting into trusting, praying and believing God is good all the time ignites hope in me and allows me to be the mother they need.
I'm praying your son hears His sweet God singing over him with great joy, realizes he is never alone and God is right there holding him and finds pleasures at His right hand. Amen.
It's so important to choose hope! There is hope in Jesus. Jesus is the way! All we can do is point people to Christ and let the Holy Spirit do His thing.
I'm praying right now for a friend who has a teenager in a very similar situation. My kids are still so young but I'm praying fervently for them to grow a faithful heart. But I love that you said you are choosing to trust a God who can not fail! So true, yet so hard at the same time. :)
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