Where do you turn when you need encouragement?
While our parenting journey changes over time, it never ends. As an empty nester, the heavy lifting certainly is behind me, but I still can find myself gripped with worry for my adult children.
I’m forever grateful for the friends and family who have offered support and encouragement (and still do) as I navigated various ages and stages with my children.
God speaks to us in many ways: his Word, people, and prayer, to name a few. When I’m faced with struggles, concerns, and doubt, it’s often my first instinct—and the easiest—to run to my Christian friends and family for encouragement and advice.
Seek God first to steady your heart and mind
While I have received much wise counsel over the years, God desires that we seek him first. Here’s a list of Bible verses to encourage parents—well, not just parents, of course!—when you begin to struggle with doubts, fears, and anxieties.
- • “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 ESV)
- • “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Proverbs 1:7)
- • “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)
- • “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16–17)
- • “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)
Wherever you are in your parenting journey, all of us need encouragement, and the best place to find it is in the Bible.
He controls and redeems
It’s important to remember that God is trustworthy, and his ways are always better. He desires a relationship with us, and one of the ways we can draw closer to him is in reading the Bible, the divinely inspired Word of God.
When making decisions about the “right” way to parent or discipline, trust in him to show you the way. He always has our best interests at heart—trust in that.
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act” (Psalm 37:5).
Day-to-day parenting looks nothing like it does on Instagram. Reality for all of us includes days that are complete train wrecks. One day I might feel like Mother of the Year—the next, I’m just hoping I haven’t caused my kids additional time in counseling.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Fractured relationships, financial strain, prodigal children, and medical distress all might be real issues families face over the course of a lifetime. But when fears are greatest, God reminds us to “fear not.”
He remains in control, and he redeems all he allows.
Have you ever found yourself in an endless cycle of worry? Big things, small things, and all things in between? Any of these sound familiar?
- • Will my children be okay?
- • Will they make choices in life that lead them closer to you, Lord, or will they face a season of wandering?
- • Will the consequences for their sin—and mine—lead to life-altering struggle and heartache?
“Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
The depth of his love
“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul” (Psalm 94:19).
I could fill an entire page with the questions that often keep my mind turning. And that’s why I love this verse because the cares of my heart are many. When coupled with the verse below (one of my personal favorites!), I find peace.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your path.” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
And never forget God is with you.
The God who created the universe loves you more than you can imagine. He sent his son Jesus to take on the sins of humanity and die on a cross so that each of us would have the opportunity to spend eternity with him in heaven. Never underestimate the depth of his love and the power of his plan.
As parents, we are not alone in the journey. “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Whew! Doesn’t it feel great to rest in that?
God is with you . . . always!
Looking for other resources on prayer and encouragement? Check out the articles below:
- 10 Bible verses about anxiety
- Three things your kids need today
- A script to preach to myself
- Women at the well: Seeking living water
Fear and parenting collide sometimes on a daily basis. Watch this video from Lisa Clark on what scripture says about fear and how parents should navigate through a sea of unknowns
