Children don’t come with a manual and neither does motherhood. There are a lot of great parenting books and resources out there. We are overloaded with so much information and advice about how to parent our children e.g. how to manage toddler tantrums, how to potty train, how to raise grateful kids etc.

There’s nothing wrong with all the great parenting resources out there but the truth is, as Moms, we’re looking for more than just advice. We need wisdom. Wisdom is more than just taking advice from others.

Wisdom is having experience, acquiring knowledge, discernment and good judgement. So how do we acquire wisdom? There are a few scriptural verses that answer this question.

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.” ~ Psalm 111:10, (NLT)

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.” ~ Proverbs 9:10 (NLT)

Knowing God.

The bottom line is this: the only way to get and grow in wisdom is to know God better. And there’s no other way to know Him other than a relationship with Him.

If there’s anything you take away from this weeks’ study, I hope you know where to turn to with your deepest parenting questions, God!

How can we know God? By spending time reading His Word and communing with Him in prayer. That’s easier said than done because for most of us Moms, it’s a struggle to make time to read God’s Word.

With the day to day demands of our busy lives and crazy schedules, filled with activities, running errands and checking off our to do lists, it’s so easy to put our time with God at the bottom of our to do list. Which means, we hardly ever get to it.

Moms, Join us for our online Bible study of Becoming Momstrong.

The Big Picture.

As Moms, the challenges we face every day feels like we’re in a battle. The truth is, we are. Most of us are so focused on the short-term battles (our children’s behavior), such as getting your kids to put away their toys, clean up their room or be on their best behavior all the time.

And we lose sight of the big picture, God’s eternal perspective. The long-term war waging for the hearts and minds of our children – their identity, character, compassion, moral foundation and capacity to love; matters of the heart and soul.

We can’t give our children what we don’t have. That’s the reason why our walk with God is so important because more is caught than taught. If we want to impart God’s truth, biblical values and godly character to our children, then we must model it for them.

Grace Not Condemnation.

Now this is not meant for you to beat yourself up about your failures as a Mom. The enemy would cease any opportunity to bring condemnation and to discourage us with lies that say, we’re not good enough or our faith isn’t strong enough or that we don’t have what it takes to be a great mom.

Don’t listen to all those lies! Here’s the truth: every Mom struggles with something, but God’s voice convicts us, not to turn us into victims but rather to be more than conquerors in Christ.

We can’t wait until our lives are all put together before we can model God’s truth and godly character to our children. We must start where we are and as we are. We’re still a work in progress and God is shaping us in the process, as we teach our children what we’re learning ourselves.

Wisdom and Courage.

The more we turn to God’s Word and take our questions to Him in prayer, the more we’ll see His guidance in our parenting struggles.

God is the source of wisdom for parenting as well as for all other aspects of our lives. He knows our children more than we do because He formed them.

Psalm 139:13,16 says, “For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother’s womb…Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

God has plans for your children, just as He has plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11). So, why not seek His wise perspective on how to shepherd your children.

As our children get older and it’s time to let them make their own choices, it’s easy for fear to keep us from letting go. We desperately want to control what happens to our children in order to protect them from pain.

But as Moms, we need courage to let go and trust God with our children amidst all the cultural changes they face. The destiny of our children doesn’t solely depend on us, it’s ultimately God who guides their path. Proverbs 16:9 (NLT) says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

Trust God’s Plans.

Every season of motherhood offers new challenges, new fears and new opportunities for us to grow in wisdom and courage. To release our children and trust in God’s wonderful plans for them.

Take time to be still before the Lord and He’ll give you exactly what you need for each season you’re in and every struggle you face.

Friend, let’s commit to praying for wisdom to know what God is calling us to do in this season that will bring Him glory.

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:8, (NLT)

“The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.” ~ Isaiah 58:11 (NLT)

Catch up on all our study posts here.

Mom, need some ongoing encouragement?

I’ve created “30 Scriptural Prayers for Moms” as a special gift for you, as well as other spiritual resources.