I belong to a small group of very
young mothers. We meet monthly to support and encourage each other and study
the Scriptures with a desire to raise godly offspring. At our last meeting, we
viewed and discussed a DVD on fear-based parenting. We admitted to being afraid
in ways we were not before becoming parents. Parents worry about their
children. From in vitro, to infants, toddlers, young-schoolers, teens and
beyond, we concern ourselves with the safety, well-being and sometimes even the
happiness of our children.
We agreed that being a parent can make
you a coward in some ways. Many will quiet the idealist zeal of their youth and
begin making decisions for the contentment and protection of their children – protection
from both real and imagined dangers. The group said all these things, ate
animal crackers, drank fruit juice, emphasized the importance of giving our
children to the Lord and left agreeing to make decisions inspired ultimately by
God’s glory and rather than our parental fears.
All this took place on Saturday,
December 8, 2012. Six days later, on Friday December 14, 2012, a lone gunman
entered a school packed with young children with the intent to kill. And he
did. His horrific rampage ended with the lives of 26 people, 20 of them
children ages 5 through 10. I heard the news and felt many emotions – some were
distinct, others were difficult to sort out, fear was among them.
I’m certain that my fear was not
uncommon. Many parents thought of “what if” possibilities while at the same
time trying not to think of “what if”
possibilities and fear slipped in somewhere in between – it slipped in appearing
almost justifiable in light of the immensity of the massacre.
So what do we do with these feelings? And
what should I do with Saturday, December 8th in the ghastly face of
Friday, December 14th? Should I let the terror of the 14th
swallow up the affirmations made on the 8th? Does the magnitude of the
horror validate the fears? Is it right to ignore (at least for a while) the truth that guided my decision against parental fear just six days before?
I believe that moments like this – shocking
and circumstantial moments that stir strong emotions and passions – come as
tests and as opportunities. They test how highly we value Scripture and present
opportunities for us to check our emotions against God’s word. We either chose to
justify and indulge the feelings or deliberately believe the truth in spite of
the moment.
And so fully aware of the reality of
Friday December 14, 2012 – the reality of darkness, sin and innate depravity
that reveals itself in the murder of children – I’m choosing to cling to the
truth shared on Saturday, December 8, 2012. I will once again give my child to
the Lord, because she is His in the first place, and will pray for the grace to
make parenting decisions inspired ultimately by His glory and not by my fears. I
know of course that this decision will not immediately and automatically overcome
my fears once and for all. And so “When I am (once more) afraid, I put my trust
in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. (In the end), What can
mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm
56:3-4).
May the LORD help the parents grieving the loss of their children today!
May the LORD help the parents grieving the loss of their children today!
This is a great post, thank you for sharing this encouraging word with us.
ReplyDeleteI shared your post in part with a link back to you here: http://vineoflife.net/2012/12/20/when-i-am-afraid-i-will-trust-in-god/
Thanks so much Greg! I'm encouraged by your response. Thanks again!
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