Parenting With Faith or Fear?

Faith or fear when it comes to parenting?

I think we would all choose faith. The better question may not be what would you choose, but what are you living out? With the start of yet another school year comes all of the things back to school—the clothes, the calculators, the bookbags, the grocery shopping. All the things. My question for you at the beginning of this school year is – Are fear and anxiety on your back-to-school list?

Yes, the world is a crazy place. Whether you are homeschooling, co-oping, or going back to public or private school, there is always an opportunity for fear and anxiety to set in. I like to call this the case of the “what ifs.” We go through a list of scenarios and fears that cause us to travel the road of “what if” this happens... what if my kid gets bullied, makes the wrong friends, feels isolated, alone, or even depressed? What if my kid isn’t getting the right education? What if they are being indoctrinated by the world system? What if they are put in a scenario of danger and I’m not there to protect them? What if…..

Fear and anxiety lurk in the what-ifs. As parents, we love our children more than anything. We want the absolute best for them, and by all means, we don’t want to feel responsible for screwing up their childhood. The enemy knows how vulnerable parents are when it comes to their children, and if we’re not alert to it he will use it against us. Fear comes in all kinds of packages. One of these packages is our love for our kids. We can love them so much that we forget there is one who loves them even more than we do. The one who has written each page of their lives before even one came to pass. The very one who watched over them and formed them together in their mother’s womb is still watching over them today.

Let me encourage you not to allow fear to be your number one motivating factor as a parent. If fear is at the forefront of your mind this school year you will wake up each morning with a knot in your stomach. Let faith be your center. Faith is a great reminder that these kids are not ours, they are God’s. As much as we want to shield and protect them (and we should to an extent) they have been anointed to be on planet Earth for such a time as this! They have lions to silence, giants to take down, cities to rebuild, fires to walk through, and destinies to fulfill. They are anointed for this moment in time, and as much as they are yours—they are also HIS.

Here are three easy keys to make sure this year you are parenting from faith—not from fear.

1. Check your motivation: Ask yourself the hard questions. Are the decisions I am making anchored in my fears or faith? Am I allowing my mind to go places it shouldn’t? Even though we should be responsible and cautious as parents, we shouldn’t live in the what-if space. Remember, fear is false evidence appearing real. Lies that feel real will drive you crazy as a parent. Let the Holy Spirit guide your decision-making from a place of peace. Fear always has chaos and anxiety attached to it. God operates in the realm of peace. If you find yourself making quick or fear-based decisions, step back and pray. Fear drives, and makes you feel like you are out of control and destined for peril. Faith leads. It is gentle and calming. Faith is reassuring and confident. Don’t send your child off each day assuming the worst. Build your life around God’s peace, and you will have the best school year yet.

2. Check your activation: Fear paralyzes. Faith mobilizes. What are you doing as a parent to set your kids up for success? Be proactive against the lies of the enemy. Equip your kids with the word of God. Set up a quick devotion plan that they can do at breakfast before you send them out the door.

Establish a 5-minute talk time when they get home. Before bed, take time to talk about their day. This allows you to pray with them and for them with greater awareness. This also gives you a moment to bring truth to any areas they are confused about or struggling with.

3. Check your declaration: What are you speaking over your child- faith or fear? There is power in what we say! Learn to silence your fears and speak faith. When your children say negative things or the world gives negative reports—declare what God says in the situation!

Make a list of declarations, not only for you to declare over your kids but for them to declare over themselves. When they do this they are renewing their minds in the word and releasing faith. This sets a great direction for their day (and yours).

I’m praying that whatever your situation is this school year, you choose faith as your portion and not fear! Take your fears to the Lord and confront them with the word of God. Expose every lie and replace it with the truth.

And whatever you do—hold your peace through faith-based parenting this year!