I hate to sound like a Christian Pollyanna, but, many times in life, it really is that simple. Just pray. I could tell you story after story – mine or my friends’ – when results were not forthcoming. Then, when the people involved decided to make their situation a matter of heartfelt prayer, things went smoothly. Here are only two…
I think of a morning when I came to God and recognized my growth area when it comes to motivating my strong-willed son to come to the school table. I simply told God I needed help with that. The result was that I relaxed about it. And, somehow, my relaxed attitude helped me deal with my son in a way that relaxed him.
He obeyed readily and did his work without complaining. No special revelation, but I did say some things to him that were funny – not me in my natural state of mind – and I thought, “This must be God’s answer to my prayer this morning. How did I come up with that?”
I think of a night when my firstborn was still a baby. Breastfeeding was not going well, but I did not give up. We had to supplement with formula after a month, because he was not gaining weight properly. And I kept breastfeeding. Sometimes it would be such a struggle.
One night, my husband went to prepare a bottle. When he came back, our son was nursing happily. “What happened? How did it happen?”
I smiled. I had prayed, i.e. from the bottom of my heart, knowing that mom’s milk would give my son so much more than formula. Again, bringing it all up to God and making myself vulnerable, admitting my growth area, relaxed me. The baby relaxed and latched on properly. No struggle.
Whether you are struggling to feed your children intellectual food or spiritual food or physical food, just pray. The Lord will come to your rescue. He gently leads those that are with young, remember?
