Encouragement to Parents

This morning I was brainstorming some kid's ministry ideas and found myself thinking specifically about the need for encouragement in parenting. It is really easy to feel like parenting is somehow just a natural, earthly type of job somehow separate from our various ministry callings. Many of us have learned to access faith for walking in some sort of church or evangelistic type of ministry but when it comes to our role as parents, we may find ourselves mostly just trying to survive and hopefully not screw up our kids too badly along the way.

There is a lot of accusation targetted against parents to make us feel somehow inadequate or powerless in the raising of our children. The presence of such accusation is a good indicator that the enemy is trying to discourage us or unempower us from something really amazing. So what is the enemy trying to hide from us as parents?

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corin 3:6 NKJV

God has empowered us to succeed in anything He has called us to do. As parents we are called to train our kids in the ways of the Spirit, and God has empowered us for just that. Though the ministry of parenting may seem like a very natural one, the fullness of it is very supernatural. We need the Holy Spirit to accomplish it, and the good news is that God has given us His Spirit! God wants all people to experience a life of empowered living through communion with His very Spirit. We have the privelege of helping our children access this glorious experience of the fullness of life.

So the truth is that inadequacy is a lie since our adequacy is in Him. We have been called and empowered to fulfill a most amazing ministry. No one else is equipped like we are for the task of equipping and releasing our children in the kingdom of God simply because God has called us to it. We may often have to seek the Lord for wisdom and empowerment in the process, but we can boldly expect He will provide it.

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32 NKJV