Prayer series-Children

So yesterday, I started a series on praying for our children. This parenting job is tiring, and you can get beaten down if you don't have help.  But our Savior is here to the rescue.  We really do have a friend in Him, and He is willing to take on half of this parenting job.

In prayer we can bring him all our issues, not just children, and he will give us the answer.  This is simple christian prayer 101, but sometimes we need a reminder not to make it complicated.

1) Just because we've prayed once over a an issue doesn't mean we won't have to pray over it again.
If you child has a biting issue, are you going to discipline once and think that's the end. Maybe, if your child is an angel, but most likely she will bit again. So you discipline again.  Likewise, you pray again for you child to gain wisdom and understanding, and for you, pray for wisdom and strategy.
Another reason a parent needs to pray often on the same issue is children go through stages. You might have a problem with biting at two, you've prayed, gotten an answer suitable for a two year, and the problem seems to be solved, however at three not only is she biting but now she is kicking. You have to pray again.  What worked at two may not work at three.

 Every time "IT" (whatever "IT" is to you) raise it's ugly head, you pray. Praying will bring you peace in knowing God's power is at work on behalf of your child.
 
2) Another way to make praying complicated is trying to force our will onto our child in prayer.  We all want the best for our child.  We all want to see them succeed, especially in sports or academics or cheerleading.  Or wish them to be doctors, lawyer, big time accounts.  You know the kind of prayer I'm talking about.  "Lord, please allow Laura to get that big time promotion in NYC", (so I will have a place to stay when I visit NYC)   OR  "Lord, Please help Johnny make a 600 on all his SAT's" (so I can feel good about myself).  Thoughts in ( )'s are our unconscious thought whether we acknowledge it or not. But God might have different plans for them. Remember, He created them, He raised them up for His purpose not so we can have bragging rights. I must confess, I've been there, and I've done that and all it does is cause confusion, frustration and disappointment.

Our children need both parent's and God's guidance to make it in this crazy world. God's power will be working in our child's life as we pray.  It's never to late to get started. Whether your baby is 1 month or 30+ with wife and kids, you can make a difference through prayer.