Do You Desire To Bring Your Child Into The Kingdom?

It's hard enough to be a Christian parent in this world. How do we combat the forces of evil while at the same time raise our children to desire to walk in God's light? By seeking His face, His Word and inspiration from each other as we stumble through this parenting process together. You will find all the instruction, encouragement and resources you need right here at The Greatest Mission Trip You'll Ever Take to help you be the most effective witness to your child that God would have you be. Look around and come back often. Let's learn together.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

8 Excuses Christian Parents Make

photo by Dan4th

There are certain things in life that I really hate doing. Shopping is one of them. Loathe it. Abhor it. I find it detestable and utterly boring. I’d rather scrub bathroom tile grout with a toothbrush than step inside a retail store. I’d rather sit for hours in a traffic jam than find myself on the buying side of a purchase. I’d just assume clean fish with…. Anyway, I really hate shopping.

God, with his inimitable sense of humor, paired me with a man who absolutely loves to shop. My husband could spend all day doing it, actually without ever really making a purchase. I can only imagine God, sitting on His majestic throne, slapping His heavenly knee as He watches me drag behind my husband, eyes rolling as we enter yet another store to compare prices and analyze product features.

Because my husband is on the road with his job, guess who is responsible for doing a lot of the shopping? Through the years I have managed to figure out my own system for getting it done, even enjoying some aspects of it (it helps justify the ice cream sundae I promise myself at the end of the day). I don’t handle it with as much finesse or efficiency as I could, but I get the job done and I’m better for having pushed myself to do it.

The excuses we make for not doing something oftentimes only serve to hold us back and stymie growth. They become stumbling blocks to achieving our goals. Sometimes we can put our head down and just barrel through the obstacles, but that only works in the short term. If we’re interested in developing a worthwhile habit, we need to create motivational tools and simplify the process. In so doing, we start with manageable steps that will allow us to build consistency and permanence as we create a good habit.

Many Christian parents have created a list of excuses for not reading the Bible and spending time in devotion to the Lord with their children. Read the list below and see if any of these resonate with you.
  • I’m not much of a reader.

  • I’m/My family’s so busy, we wouldn’t have the time to squeeze it in.

  • Others are better equipped than I to do this.

  • My child knows where I stand on salvation; I’m letting him come to his own decision.
  • I don’t feel the Bible is relevant enough for today’s youth.

  • I’m afraid my child would rebel if I tried to start now.

  • I’ve never been quite sure how to go about it.

  • In all honesty, I just haven’t felt like doing it.
Let’s spend the next couple of days discussing tips, techniques and alternatives for getting around some of these excuses, making it easier to establish a consistent habit for holding family devotions.
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1 comment:

Ron Edmondson said...

Very good post and one I have seen played out many times in ministry. Parents should be the primary molder of their child's spiritual understanding, but just as they often expect schools to teach them, they expect the church to lead them in Christ. We do have a part, but parents ultimately have the assignment.

Thanks,
Ron Edmondson
http://www.ronedmondson.com