Are you carrying around a heavy load of guilt because
you think that you have failed to be the parent God wants you to be? If so,
this blog was written just for you. Let me remind you of some truths that your
failures are probably making you forget: NO one parents 100% just right. NO
parents makes all the right decisions.
Every parent falls short. But
falling short is no reason to despair. You are just one prayer away from
beginning to parent with hope.
At the present time you may be facing some huge
challenges with your teenager. Things
don't look good. In fact, things look
hopeless. Mentally and emotionally you are starting to give up. You have become
weary and have very little desire to persevere. Yes, giving up is always an option
but Jesus offers you another option.
In Luke 18:1, Jesus says to us that we ought to always
pray and not lose heart. In other words, we never need lose hope. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed because you have
been doing everything you know to do but nothing seems to be working. That
overwhelmed feeling is the red flag signaling to you that it is way pass time
to turn things over to Jesus.
Jesus knows you are weary and heavy laden and invites
you to come to Him and He promises to give you rest and help. (Matthew 11:28)
Let me suggest some steps to moving from that place of
guilt and weariness to a place of parenting with hope.
Step One - Believe Jesus when He says there is hope
and ask Him for His help.
Step Two - Forgive yourself for past failures. Jesus already has. Jesus never focuses on how
we got into a mess; He just wants to show us how to get out.
Step Three - Relax. You are never going to be perfect.
Jesus does not expect you to be perfect.
When you fall short, admit it to God (He already knows it anyway), admit
it to your child (they usually know it anyway) and accept God's grace to begin
again.
If you refuse to grow weary in well doing, in due
season you will reap. (Galatians 6:9)
With Jesus, you can parent with hope. I pray that the Spirit of God will
encourage you and give you the grace to begin again.
