Reality Check

The start of school is just around the corner. Seriously, didn’t they just get out!? I dreaded my daughter starting Kindergarten all last summer. I thought this year would be easier, but I am going to miss having her home just as much this year. There is just something about sending her off to school for the day – out in the world where I can’t watch over her, choose her playmates and be the one to give her a hug if she falls on the playground.

Once you have children, you look at the world in a whole new way. It makes me feel very vulnerable. I have had to learn to trust God in a way I never did before. I know that He loves my children even more than I do, that He is the only one who can be with them EVERYWHERE they go and the only one who can truly protect them from the evil in this world.

When my children were young it was easy to fall into the trap of believing I could always protect them. They were small, couldn’t walk, went to a church preschool for a few hours a day and were with me pretty much everywhere I went. Now that they are growing up, the reality of how much I AM NOT in control has really hit home. Each day, I have to pray for the courage and strength it takes to be a mom. Talk about trusting the Lord. I lean on Him in a way I could have never imagined before I had children.

There is an interesting scripture on marriage that I ran across in 1 Corinthians that puts scripture to my feelings.

“I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

Paul wasn’t saying we should never get married, but he certainly explains how our emotions change when we have more than ourselves to think about. When you are married, have children or both our interests really are divided and we worry about the world’s affairs because we want to protect the ones we love. We want to be around to love and protect them.

Each day, I have to make the decision not to wrestle with thoughts that make my heart heavy with worry. I don’t want the enemy to have control over me. (Psalm 13:2) I don’t want the worries of this life to choke out all of the fruit God intends for me to produce (Mark 4:19).
Whether you worry about your children, marriage, job, safety or something else – present it before God. For it is only God who can grant us the peace, protection and understanding we all desire (Philippians 4:6-7).

May our Lord and Savior be with all of our children. Cover them with His angels of love and protection. Guard their hearts and keep them safe from all harm, evil, sickness and disease.