Isn’t it interesting that this psalm speaks of the futility of worry in verse two of this Psalm, and then moves right into reminding us that children are a gift from God? Was that coincidence? I doubt it. It doesn’t seem to matter what stage in life we find ourselves, our children can certainly be the focus of our anxieties. If they are not in the forefront of our worries, they are often on the backburner. To be fair, the Lord gifts us with these precious souls and we feel the tremendous weight of responsibility to see to their care. As they grow and gradually become more independent, we sometimes find ourselves struggling to let go. What we often fail to see is that in the gradual shift of release, God is actively teaching us things, as well as our children.
Having served in the prayer ministry of Cypress Creek Church for many years, I’ve had the privilege of praying with many parents who are struggling with a son or daughter, whether child or adult. If you have children at home, the weight of caring for and guiding them can be heavy. God is there for you, he sees you and you are never alone. Lean into him, continually asking for his wisdom. Connect with other families through community groups, you will find care and support.
If you, like me, have adult children who have “left the nest”, it’s time to release them and trust God. Admittedly that was a process for me. Early on, when I watched mine struggle, I wanted to swoop in with answers. Ask God to give you scriptural promises for them, and choose to stand on them. When I feel worry begin to creep in, I return to those promises of God, he loves my child far more than I ever could. Through the years of empty nest, I’ve learned so much more about trusting God and letting go. It’s a choice to not continually pick up what God has called us to lay down.
If you have not experienced the blessing of having children…whether by choice or circumstance, God sees you. He is not withholding from you, He may have a different path for you that will be filled with blessing and purpose. And the body of Christ needs you. Parents need you. You have opportunities every day to be a light in the lives of the young and point them to Jesus.
Dear Father, we thank you for the gift of children. They are indeed a blessing from you.