Romans 12:2 ESV

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.“

I’ve had to block out the noise of the world lately. I want to know just enough to be informed and to be able to pray for those in need, and to help those I can. But I can’t focus on the news and spend a lot of time listening to it. I’ve subscribed to a couple of reputable sources from a faith-based perspective, but I’ve learned that I have to guard my heart and mind.

I don’t think it’s just me- many friends have expressed the same anxiety over today’s world events. This implies that the world our children are growing up in is one that is divided and can be frighening.

Many of us at church just completed an incredible Bible study on the I AM statements of Christ called Behold and Believe by Courtney Doctor and Joanna Kimbrel, (thanks Marty!). One of the focuses in the readings is how important it is for us as believers to “abide” in Christ. So, what does it mean to abide in Christ? The terms we used in our discussions were: to dwell with, to remain with, to stay with, to stay connected to, to be dependent on, and (my favorite), to be tethered to.

We are tethered to the Lord through His Holy Spirit and through His Word. And if I personally desire to abide in Him, I need to keep my eyes, my ears, my mind and my heart turned towards Him. I need to seek His voice daily, and here’s the key- turn off the other voices. There seem to be a lot of voices vying for our attention and for the minds of our littles as well.

How do we help our children turn off the voices of this world and learn to abide in, rest in, have peace in Christ? The practical things that can help us can also help them:

1. Put aside our devices as much as possible. I’m doing this in general, even when I am not with the grands. I’m living life with the people right in front of me and not spending as much time on my phone or computer.
2. Create a prayer routine at meals and bedtime. Let’s teach our kiddoes to give thanks to God, to pray for others, and to seek hope, direction, and purpose.
3. Listen to/play faith based music. It’s just so easy- we can use our devices in a selective way and expose our kids to Christ and biblical stories through music!
4. Worship together as a family. Take time apart from all of the other STUFF that is fighting for our time and attention and teach our kids that our Lord is worthy to be praised and worshipped, regularly.
5. And, of course, we can Book Time with Our Kids in meaningful ways, carefully selecting text that points them to Jesus and to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

This HOLY WEEK there are so many beautiful opportunies for us to explain who Jesus is and what He did, to worship together as families and to lead our littles in faith. In a world of uncertainty, let’s block some of the noise from reaching the ears of our children. Let’s lead them closer to the Lord who loves them unconditionally and provides a peace that goes beyond anything this world can offer.

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