Growing in Gods Way

Discouragment. A familiar feeling to me as the parent of teens. It is hard to not to take their mistakes and failures personally. I find that I struggle in how to respond to their shortcomings. Acknowledging that we all make mistakes yet trying to train them in a way to encourage responsibility. Questioning their actions and challenging them draws their anger yet to do nothing seems uncaring and irresponsible.

Sunday in church the scripture focused on Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray and the words to the Lords Prayer . In my mind and heart, I believe that God has the answers to all that troubles me as a parent and certainly will provide me with the strength to perservere even when I feel this discouragement and don't know what to do or say next. Yet when I am tested by my children's actions I often feel like such a failure. I descend into a place of despair and feel such lack of motivation. I should turn my eyes to God and ask for his wisdom and strength. Though the mistakes of my children seem to never end, faith should direct me to pray fervently for God's strength to allow me to forgive my children for their mistakes as the words to the Lord's Prayer remind me to "Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us." Certainly, we need to forgive one another. I know that I am far from perfect yet God has charged me with guiding and directing my children as their parent. How do I impart forgiveness while as a parent challenging them to live better lives.

At times I get to a point where I feel that those things that I have tried to do right as a parent seem to have counted for nothing. I feel a sense of utter despair and wonder why I am such a failure. Why my children seem to not learn from past mistakes and continue to repeat the same ones over and over again? Often I turn to those whom I count as my closest friends and find myself once again as the object of their pity...how is it that all these things seem to keep happening? My children live in a home with both parents and have had more advantages than most. We have made them a priority and continue to sacrifice for them yet their actions continue to fall far short of what we hope for them. This week has been a particularly low point for me and their father. It is one of those times that you wonder what you have been working for because it all seems to count for nothing. Even my generally upbeat husband has reached a breaking point where he feels like just giving up.

So at this point I am searching for an answer. Experience has shown that if I place my hope and trust in others I will be disappointed. Things and people in this world continue to disappoint me. Thankfully I am blessed with the gift of having what I feel ashamed to say is a mustard seed size faith. Yet this week in my feeble attempts to find some consolation and strength from Gods word I am again reminded that God can turn something so small into something that grows and thrives. Thankfully, last evening at least with my child was an improvement on the one before. My goal for today is to turn instead not to despair but to God who promises to provide strength for even the most hopeless and desperate of circumstances. Today I will try to look for God's blessings and consolation and try to remember that he is present and working in my life and in the lives of those I love.