Childlike Faith - Part 1

"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. 
The Lord be with all of you." - 2 Thessalonians 3:16



 

Last night my 7 year old daughter struggled to fall asleep.  I admit there was an inner groan of "not again"!  She was afraid of the dark.  Afraid of what might be in her closet.  Afraid that something was under her bed.  Something was outside her window.  Someone was in the hallway.  Arg!  At one point, she had worked herself up so much that she was slightly shaking and definitely sobbing.  Her fear had taken over. 

I went into her room and we talked.  And as I talked to her I heard myself telling her that she of course new the "truth" that nothing was there, but her own thoughts were what were scaring her...all of her "what-if's" and her imagination.  She insisted she needed someone to sleep with her in order to feel better.  It was so hard not to just give in and lay down next to her until she fell asleep. 

I reminded her that her brother was in the room next to her.  And that mommy and daddy were in the room on the other side of her.  Her whole family was with her in the house.  She insisted this wasn't the same as someone being in the room with her.

 

Now, let me back up and be totally honest.  I was tired.  So sleepy and I just wanted to get back to my bed and return to my sweet slumber.  And my daughter's main concern was that someone be in the room with her. So in this sleep deprived moment, I decided to pick God as the guy to fill the bill.  I admit my initial reasons to pass the buck to God, were all selfish and out of irritability and exhaustion in the moment. You see, I'm still a "Baby Christian".  I say this in meaning that I'm about 4 years new in my relationship with God and still learning about how he works.  So helping my children navigate getting to know God and helping them understand is really a moment by moment thing in our house.  Admittedly it is sloppy and often by accident. Thank goodness God took the mess of the moment and made a message out of it for both of us.  Yay God!!!  A message for her to learn to turn to God in times of trouble and rely on him.  And a message for me to remember to incorporate God into parenting and rely on him when I've "run out of me" as a parent.



Doing everyday life "with" God is Artful Living. 
 He is big enough to parent both myself and my children. 

 

So I told my daughter that she was not alone and that God was with her even when mommy, daddy, and her brother can't be with her at night.  We then talked about all the places she already goes that her family is not with her, school, the baby sitter's.... but that God is always with her.  She then asked,
 

 "So God is bigger than my family? 
And God is there for me when my family is not? 
So is God a bigger parent than you and Daddy?" 

 

Her questions were amazing and kind of a lot to take in in my sleep deprived state.  It was hard to admit that yes Daddy and I were not always going to be there for her whether physically or out of some lack of our own.  But He would be there for her when we would or could not.   

 

I answered each of her questions with a "yes".  

Yes, God is bigger than your family. 

Yes God is there for you when your family is not. 

Yes, God is a bigger parent than Daddy and I. 

 

I realized in this moment that God was there for me as a parent as well.  That yes indeed he was bigger than I.  He didn't need to sleep and he could be here for my daughter when I was struggling to do so.  Which of course will be the situation many times in my children's lives.   God was definitely using this moment to show my daughter He was the one to turn to and that he is always there even when mommy and daddy can not.  We talked then about how she could talk to God, and tell him how scared she was right at this moment and tell him what she needed.  She then took her moment and talked with him.  I asked her how it went and she said that he would give her what she asked for..."bravery".  Wow.  (You know... this "God stuff" in parenting is awesome!) 

 

I told her that even when I leave the room to go back to my bed, God will still be here in the room for her to continue to talk to.  And that her family's love for her always exists in her heart.  I walked out of the room and thanked God for totally providing for me in that moment and for her to turn to Him and waited. 

 

She peacefully fell asleep.

 

"Now may the Lord of peace himself

give you peace at all times and in every way. 

The Lord be with all of you." - 2 Thessalonians 3:16

 

She woke up this morning and her first words were filled with excitement, "Mommy, you were right, I took your advice!" (Thank goodness I was sitting down, because when a mom hears this particular statement from their child, it could cause sudden fainting.)  "Mommy, God was there for me!  I talked and talked to him and I got really relaxed and just fell asleep!  I slept so well all night!" 

 

I love my God.  He was there for me in a tired and exhausted mommy moment.  He was there for my daughter in a moment of being overcome with gripping fear.  He was a parent to us both.  That is Artful Living!  I love my God!  He is awesome!  Especially when he takes over so I can sleep (wink). 

 

Challenge:  When was the last time you talked to God?  Do you know that God is with you always?  How can you turn to God more often with the "daily" of life?  What steps can you take to rely more heavily on Him and less on others, things, environments, situations or yourself?