Your child is in a hard place and you hurt for him, or for her.
She has been left out.
He is struggling in class.
She has been benched in the sport where she always excelled.
He is discouraged.
She will not heed your advice.
He is running around with a wild crowd.
She will not come out of her room.
He has made some bad decisions.
She is being bullied on social media.
He did not get the solo he was hoping for.
Things are not easy in this life, in this world. There is trouble. As parents, we hurt when our children hurt.
Where do we go? Who do we call? Who do we complain to? How do we “fix it”?
We know that the answer is to take it to the Lord. Often that doesn’t seem like it is enough. We doubt that he understands or sees the big picture that we are seeing. We don’t think he knows enough to make things right for our child.
The thing is, he knows better! His work is not about making our child comfortable or successful. His work is about conforming our children into the image of his son, Jesus. He doesn’t promise that your daughter will be in the same class with her best friends. He doesn’t promise that your son will make all A’s, even if he works hard. God doesn’t promise that your child will be all the things that they want to be or that you hope they will be. He does promise that he will be with them.
Psalm 91 is my go-to Psalm when I feel the world crowding around me and the earth caving in on me. It reminds that the best place my child can be is in the shelter of the Most High and the shadow of the Almighty. That child who is picking on your child is not the almighty, God is. And even his shadow offers refuge and protection.
This does not mean that bad things will not happen to our children. It does mean that our God, who is sovereign and full of grace, allows bad things, hard things to happen to his children.
Consider these words and phrases from Psalm 91 that tell us who God is:
Most High, Almighty, my refuge, my fortress, my God.
He will deliver you. He will cover you.
Under his wings you will find refuge.
His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear.
You have made the Lord your dwelling place.
No evil shall be allowed to befall you.
He will command his angels concerning you to guard you.
Consider what God says about you:
Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him, I will protect him.
When he calls to me, I will answer him.
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.
Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world.” We are not promised an easy life. As much as we would love to provide a world without trouble for our children, that is not possible in a world marked by sin.
When I read, re-read, meditate on, and marinate in Psalm 91, I am overwhelmed by the love my heavenly Father has for me and for my children. He is trustworthy. He is who he says he is. As I turn to him to be my shelter and my refuge, may I point my children to him as their shelter and refuge. The Almighty and Most High loves them and will show them his salvation.
Parents, we hope you will join us for our 2024 conference in Dallas, Texas!
