Doing the Best We Can

Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life.

(Proverbs 22:6, GNT)

There is only one perfect parent: God. Every human parent is going to make mistakes, going to make the wrong decisions at times, going to have regrets: things they wish they had done differently, things they wish they had or had not done at all. Every parent will have a moment—even if their children are grown and living on their own—when they will think back to times or situations and consider how they could have chosen another way to work something out or approach a matter in another way; think about the times they were maybe too hard or too soft about something. That’s the road of parenting. I don’t know one parent, including myself, who has not wished they could have done a better job parenting. I often say I am thankful God filled in the holes we left unintentionally because our children might have looked a lot like Swiss cheese in many aspects if it were not for God’s help and assistance.

Parenting is tough—it’s maybe the hardest job we will ever undertake on our earthly journey. Praise God, he does not make us parent alone but comes alongside us to get the job done. When it comes to parenting God is our mentor, our guide, our encourager, our teacher, our counselor and when it’s needed, our consoler and comforter. He strengthens the earthly parent every step of the journey. Because he sticks close to us and helps us, we can accomplish the job of parenting and while we may not be the perfect parent he is, if we take his lead and counsel we can be good, even great parents doing the best we can because he is with us all the way. Let’s Pray

We strive to be the best parent we can be, thank goodness You are with us for the long haul, God, encouraging and guiding us through the stresses and mysteries of parenting. Amen

Questions for Soul-Tending

If you have raised or are raising children is God your mentor and guide?

How will you use today’s message to take better care of yourself while parenting?