Dr. Dobson's Parenting Devotional - Apr. 3

WALKING IN HIS WILL

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.”  Psalm 143:10

We should always be grateful for God’s clear instructions for successful living and for revealing how we can gain a glorious eternity with Him. Yet simply reading and understanding God’s will for us isn’t enough. We must also choose in obedience to follow it—and that’s the difficult part. So often, we are too headstrong to submit.

The mother of a strong-willed four-year-old once said to her daughter, “Now, Cathy, you’re just going to have to obey me. I’m your boss, and I have the responsibility to lead you. That’s just what I intend to do.” Little Cathy thought for a minute, and then replied, “How long does it have to be that way?” Even at age four, this child was already yearning to forge her own path. Most of us were just as determined when we were kids.

It’s vital that your sons and daughters learn to obey you as preparation for later obedience to God. It’s not always easy to instill a spirit of obedience in your kids, but it’s worth the effort. Walking in the will of God always is.

Before you say good night…

• Are your kids learning a healthy appreciation for the importance of obedience?
• Do they understand that they must yield to many forms of benevolent authority?
• Are they learning the meaning of sin and its consequences?
• Are you setting a proper example by walking in the will of God yourself?

Dear Lord, please give us the patience and the will to be consistent in our rules, to insist on complete obedience, and—when we must—to follow through with discipline. Be our strength and help, we pray. Amen.

Listen to today's broadcast of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk at OnePlace.com.  For more from Dr. Dobson, visit the resource center at drjamesdobson.org.

This devotional is taken from Night Light for Parents. Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.