At this writing, my daughter's family is down with Covid, my son has flown off to Orlando for business, and as of today a tropical storm is bearing down on his position. For some reason, this week I chose to decrease my dosage of an antacid I take daily; not my wisest life choice.
I'm a little tense.
As a parent of adult children, it is an ongoing challenge to stay emotionally engaged with my children while simultaneously releasing them to God's care. When my motivation is my own well-being (what would I do without them?) I increase my attempts to advise and control. But this way of dealing with my adult kids is stressful and so I then rob them of any real benefit I actually am able to provide (how about a prayer and maybe some chicken soup?) because I'm exhausted trying to make everything right for them as I did when they were small.
As I said, it is an ongoing challenge. I am prone to try to do it all; I labor in prayer, make chicken soup, and dispense advice as I try to anticipate potential dangers in their path. Yes, I need to keep the prayer and maybe the soup, and let go the crushing responsibility to take care of their circumstances; Lord I release my children's circumstances to You. Again.
"Entrusting is not the same as abandoning. We can carry our loved ones in prayer without carrying loads God does not intend for us to bear" (100 Days to Freedom, Day 15).
Father, help me to stay alert in prayer, courageous in the face of scary circumstances, and strong in my faith in You to take care of my children and grandchildren; in Jesus' Name I pray, amen.
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