Parenting by Design - August 22

Endurance as a Pathway to Wisdom 

Heb 12:2:  "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (NIV).

If parenting is about imitating the Perfect Parent, we should be comforted in knowing God patiently endured as His Son was subjected to unimaginable hardship (curses, rejection, beatings, and even death) on our behalf.  There will be times when you will be forced to endure sleepless nights, frustration, anger, shame, and the scorn of others in your parenting journey as well.

In the middle of suffering, fix your eyes on Jesus.  Recognize that as much as we try to avoid pain, it can be a pathway to wisdom and greater dependence on God.  The love you express to your kids during times of struggle  can draw them to a much greater love - the love of our Heavenly Father and the sacrifice He made through His Son's life and death. 

When you endure parenting hardships and struggles with patience, you reflect God's love in a powerful, compelling way.