March #jammed: Grace Revealed.
Day 79: Where do we stop?
“Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you” Joshua 13:6
Parents are prone to overreact in their well-placed intention to support their kids dreams. Having lived this out over the past few years, God has shown me a few helpful things. One, being the book of Joshua. In it, land is divided up and boundaries are set. God left no room for interpretive error or mistaken human judgement. His instructions were clear, boundaries were set, and land was assigned.
Our lives are to be lived within the limitless boundaries of God’s plan for our individual lives. I say limitless because what He sees for us is beyond anything we can wish for or imagine. However, knowing our human limitations, He borders our present reality with assignment …each bringing us one step closer to His vision for our lives.
The same principles apply to our children, and the struggle to decide which way to go become as imminent as the amount of activities they have to choose from. Trusting God’s timing over our own wishes for their lives allows them the chance to come to Him directly. We can teach them how to pray, and pray with them. His plan is greater, but it takes a lot of prayer to get there.
Today’s verse assures us that when the time comes to take a step forward, we will know. Do we miss some? Yep. Does Jesus circle back around for us? He died on the cross for us ..pretty brutal …I know He’s all about chasing our hearts when they drift down the wrong path.
“A good way to combat pride is to practice humility.” Kara Durbin, Parenting with Scripture.
When it comes to our dreams, and those of our kids, they are to be taken seriously but not interpreted literally. Our dream may only be a clue. The key is to stay in touch with Him in prayer at all times, and with our kids. Pray for them, and with them, about decisions to make. Teach lessons like honoring their commitment to one activity before starting another. By following the basic principles God has left behind in His Word, we can have confidence He will lead us forward on the path to our dreams and our role as a parent.
Father, Praise You for dreams! Thank You for telling us that they mean more than we understand. Forgive us for discounting them, or our children’s, and bless us to stay in touch with You through Your Word and prayer to know which way to go. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace!
#greatgrace17
Happy Dreaming!
Megs
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It’s so difficult to stand by and watch our kids apply all the things we hope we’ve taught them, isn’t it?! We always tried to help them understand their talents and abilities and how those things would help them reach their dreams. But it isn’t easy to watch them transition into adulthood and leave some of their dreams behind and pick up new ones (and admit that maybe they know themselves better than we do 😉 ).
Anita, thank you. Such wise words! I’m finding that motherhood is a constant process of staying tuned in but also letting go … And experiencing more love than I ever knew possible as I lean into God along the way. I always look forward to your posts, and your comments. Happy Tuesday, friend!!!