Let God Fill the Shoes
It was just yesterday that I was cuddling a tiny bundle of sweet baby in a soft cushion of preciousness. He cooed, cuddled and admired my every move. He’s still a little one these days, but he walks, talks and makes other noises on purpose that we won’t discuss. He seems to change every day.
He came into the kitchen hollering, Mommy! Mommy! Look at me! I turned to give him my split attention between cooking, cleaning up, listening to my oldest practicing the piano and a long list of things that filled my mind in that moment. But when I saw him I paused everything else that was pulling at my attention.
He clomped through the kitchen as proud as he could be in his daddy’s oversized shoes. A smile spread across his proud face and I stood admiring him. I thought about the day when he would actually fill those great big shoes. What kind of man would he become? Would he be dependable, a man filled with integrity, faithful and honest? Would he be good to his wife and children? Would he serve God with his entire heart? The burden I felt to train Him in that moment was overwhelming.
As I started to feel the heavy load of such responsibility God calmed my thoughts and whispered sweetly to stop stressing. Although I train, teach, reprimand, encourage, correct, instruct, and love with everything in me, I cannot fill the shoes for my little boy. I cannot control his thoughts. I can only pray for him to allow God to control his mind. I cannot control his decisions. I can only teach him now how to make good decisions and pray that he would seek God’s guidance as he grows. I cannot initiate integrity into his being, but I can train and pray that God would lead his character to be one of integrity and faith.
I struggled with the burden of filling those big shoes for my little boy, but God told me to let go and allow Him to take control. So for now I won’t worry about filling those great big shoes, but I will do my part as mom of teaching, training, loving, but most of all praying that God would get ahold of my little boy and use him in ways that I could never imagine.
As I felt the heavy burden of raising my children, it’s as if God told me to stop stressing over my parenting skills and to start praying more.
If you feel overwhelmed with the burden to produce a child that is a success in society, stop it. God does not tell us to manipulate, form, and fashion a perfect child to fill a set of shoes that we dream of. As I walk through the training days of motherhood and beyond I am sure to fail once in a while. One thing that never fails is Jesus. I will call out to Him with everything in me. I will beg him to bind Satan from my children. I will intercede for them, and cry for them. I will not pre-set in my mind a picture of what their lives should look like because I cannot imagine what God has in store for their precious lives.
So for today I pray. I pour my heart out for the little ones in my care, that God would protect, speak to and guide their tender hearts. Jesus never fails and He can fill the shoes a whole lot better than I could ever dream.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
#1 Parenting Tip: PRAY
Be watching next week for “31 Days of Prayer” – A simple way to walk through 31 days of petition before the throne of God. Free Printable Calendar will be posted weekly for the next 4 weeks.
For today, lift your eyes and receive the help that no book, blog or expert can give – PRAY.
Love & Blessings,
Micah