Parenting through Prayer.

“We do our best parenting through prayer” ~ Jeannie Cunnion, “Mom Set Free”.

Our prayers have a profound impact on the lives of our kids and family.

Maybe you already know that.

But although you know how powerful prayer is, yet like me, your prayer life doesn’t always reflect that truth.

Maybe like me, you have all the good intentions to pray but are not consistent. And the activities of your day quickly steal your time, energy, and focus.

So nobody needs to be reminded of this more than I do, because too often my life suggests that we do our best parenting, not through prayer but through worry.

Worry.

One of the things we mommas do well. We worry about our kids.

Whether they’ll turn out to become all we’ve hoped for.

The decisions they make.

The hardships they face.

We worry about the parenting decisions we make. Whether we’ve got it right.

If we’re honest, we worry more than we pray. But in the words of Corrie Ten Boom, “worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength.”

Turn Worry to Prayer.

But what if, instead of worrying, we heeded to Paul’s instruction in Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

“Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Paul says, “instead of worrying, pray!” He doesn’t say, pray about some things. He says, “pray about everything.”

The peace our hearts crave in the midst of all the pressure we face in parenting, can only be found in one place.

And it’s not in our problem-solving skills. Or checking off our to-do-lists.

It’s in prayer.

When we turn our worry to prayer, we will experience God’s peace that exceeds anything we can understand.

Paul doesn’t only encourage us to pray about everything but to do it “continually” as stated in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV),

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Have you ever asked what God’s will is in a situation or circumstance you face?

You must be wondering; how can I be thankful for the struggles, challenges, or sometimes painful circumstances you endure as you parent your child?

Paul isn’t saying that God’s will for us is to be thankful for tragedy or turmoil in our lives. He is showing us how we can remain thankful for who Jesus is and what Jesus can do “in all circumstances.”

What if we committed to turning every worry we have to prayer and thanksgiving?

Whenever worry tries to creep into our hearts, we turned it into praying for God’s will and give thanks for what Jesus will do in our circumstances.

What an impact that will make.

Trust me friend, nobody needs this reminder more than I do because I worry and get frustrated about constantly disciplining my kids. Not to mention, virtual learning this year due to the pandemic, where you are a parent and teacher at the same time has been nerve wrecking, because I struggle with knowing what to do sometimes.

Okay mom, how often do you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing as a parent?

Thankfully, James, the brother of Jesus, tells us what to do when we don’t know what to do.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought” (James 1:5-6 MSG).

Fellow mom, when we don’t have a clue what we’re doing as a parent, we are invited to bring all our uncertainty and inadequacy to our all-knowing, all-loving heavenly Father who loves to help.

Through the power of prayer, we can have peace amidst the pressure of parenting.