Where there are children, there will be chaos.
All parents know that this is a fact. As Marshall Segal, father, writer, and managing editor of Desiring God and author of "Not Yet Married: The Pursuit of Joy in Singleness and Dating," raising children is expected to be predictably hard in unpredictable ways described.
When he became a father, he was all for being a parent but also knew that it would not be easy at all. One thing that comforted him was believing that parenting was intentionally made hard by God. Not because He wants parents t to suffer but to fully rely and trust Him every day. More than this, for children to see and learn from whom their parents run to for strength.
Children must see that their parents are "clay" and imperfect. They must witness how they get tired, or that they sin and yet have the courage to confess and ask for forgiveness, or how they need help and support while still putting their joy and trust in God. Children must see how parents endure with braveness and all their hearts as they put their hope in God.
Satan, too is intentional
While God is intentional in making parenting relatively not easy, the enemy too is intentional in making sure to attack parents on their vulnerabilities and weakest moments.
"Satan preys on all the painful aspects of parenting," Segal emphasized. "He makes it all seem so trivial, so unrewarding, so futile. When his temptations come (and they will come), it's important that another voice rings louder than his in our frustrated and exhausted ears."
In an article Segal wrote for Desiring God, he enumerated three lies the enemy tells parents.
1. The enemy will lie and tell parents that parenting is trivial.
He will tell parents that parenting is too small of a thing and that parents deserve better, more productive, and more important things to do than raising a child.
Thus, it is imperative to remember what God said in the Bible, that these little rascals we call children are a heritage from Him. Parents are raising priceless gifts from God, which is not small but an enormous, beautiful, purposeful thing to do. Parents are raising the future generation, and they would not want this generation to believe they are too small to be loved and taken care of. How, then, can they love enormously as God loves them?
2. The enemy will tell parents that raising kids is futile and pointless.
Parents might keep on asking themselves if what they are doing makes sense or if what they are doing is making a difference. The big answer is yes.
Every parent is making a big difference. Each parent must remember that in the eyes of God, children are the most effective weapons for the most important battles, Segal declared.
Read Also: 5 Ways To Keep Your Family Spiritually Happy
3. The enemy will tell parents that parenting is unrewarding.
This is the biggest lie of all. Parents should always go back to the Word of God, and God said that the fruit of the womb is the reward itself. There is no other reward to look for because these precious children themselves are the reward of raising children.
Parents would miss the reward of raising children when they start looking for other rewards. God will not give them accomplishments, trophies, and salaries, but He has given them "eternal souls to steward and shepherd." What a precious responsibility. What a breathtaking trust the Lord has given parents.
Children are the best rewards parents could ever receive-nothing more, nothing less, as Bible Study Tools emphasized.
So, on those days that sleep cannot be given and that the house is a mess, take deep breaths and remember God's truth about parenting- that it is purposeful and has eternal worth. Learn to rejoice and love children the way God rejoices and loves.
Related Article: Parenthood, Happiness: A Parent's Joy From Having Children Isn't Long-Lasting, UK Study Says
