Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? How can we be relaxed about something that is super important?
Let’s back this whole truck up and look at the big picture. There’s something I want you to grab hold of, because when you do, you will carry out what God has set before you with peace and with great effectiveness.
We need to begin at the proper starting point for all this to make sense, which is:
God has a destiny in mind for your child.
Whatever thoughts, hopes and dreams you have for your child, God has bigger things in mind than you can even come remotely close to with your human imagination.
I’m not a ra-ra, cheer-leading life coach telling you that your kid can be anything he sets his mind to and will surely be widely successful.
No, God’s dreams for his own son should give us a clue that his idea of success and ours can look vastly different!
Here’s my point: No human being has ever been born by accident. Even in the case of an “unplanned” pregnancy, God has a reason for bringing that person into the world.
No baby has ever been unwanted by God. Every human being is his unique image-bearer, and he has designs, plans and purpose for each one.
God planned to bring your child into the world for such a time as this, and he planned that you would get to be his or her mom or dad.
In his big dreams for your son or daughter, God picked you as the primary influence on him or her. That’s a big responsibility –but here’s why you don’t need to freak out about it:
While you are parenting your child, your heavenly Father is parenting you.
He is your resource for everything you need. He is the shoulder you cry on, your source for wisdom and strength, your comfort in distress.
Parenting is a big deal. It’s hard. It takes all you have and then some. It is an arguably impossible task, and yet most people naturally want to take it on at some point in their life.
Why is that? Because we are made in God’s image, and he has hard-wired his Father heart into us.
God understands our human weaknesses. He knows that what he calls us to is not possible in our own strength. (No call from God is within our comfort zone and realm of ability, is it?)
So he asks for one thing, and it’s not perfection.
He only asks for your dependence upon him.
When his disciples asked Jesus what they should do to do the works of God, he answered:
“The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” –John 6:29
It’s about simple faith in Christ. That’s why you can relax. Think of parenting as learning how to swim. Remember in swim lessons, the first thing they taught you was to float?
That’s because, before we tackle swimming, we need to feel how the water holds us up. We need to resist the urge to fight it. Otherwise, we risk drowning.
As a parent, exercise faith. Resist the temptation to try hard in your own strength. Let God’s grace carry you the way water carries a swimmer.
Relax. As the grace of God upholds you, you can participate in his plan without struggling or sinking.
Remember, God picked you as just the right mom or dad for your child.
Rest in his grace to fulfill your high calling.
We just got home from a family camping trip where I enjoyed relaxing in a hammock with my granddaughter so your photo and title really drew me in to read this post. I really want to put this truth into practice in parenting our adult children and “parenting” the college students we house. Relaxing is hard for me though. I’m reminded of the birthing process and how I struggled to relax even though we had taken the Lamaze classes and practiced. I remember even practicing relaxing during classes was hard for me! But I am encouraged by your post and am taking John 6:29 to heart. Believing and relaxing in His grace today.
Childbirth is a great analogy, Clare!