Tag: Children

Walking Through the Fire Together

Do you feel like life is just getting more and more difficult? Here’s hope in the midst of whatever battle you’re facing right now.

A few years ago, a pastor at our church introduced us to a new way of referring to following Jesus. He called it “following the simple way of Jesus”. He reminded us of how we often over complicate Jesus’ lessons when really Jesus was very straightforward with what He meant. We don’t have to have everything figured out or the perfect faith story or anything like that. We can just be who we are, simple, and be followers of Christ.

As you may know, I love spending time with kids, and I am fortunate enough to be able to often due to my jobs. Kids are the prime example of following the simple way of Jesus because they don’t beat around the bush. They learn things and ask things in a way that is clear to them.

Today, I saw a kid get upset when she got a little scratch on her leg during a rowdy outdoor game. I went over to her and made sure she was alright, trying to be sympathetic because I cared about her feelings. But sometimes it’s difficult being sympathetic to children’s wounds when they aren’t as deep as what we may have experienced at an older age.

But if you think about it, a scratch to a five-year-old may be the equivalent to a sprained wrist to twenty-year-old. The trials and pains children go through may seem insignificant in comparison to what adults experience, yet it’s all really about perspective.

A friend reminded me last night of this important verse:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Corinthians 10:13

God knows what we can handle at different points in our lives. He may give us things that seem harder now than when we were younger because He knows we are stronger now. You may feel frustrated when others are upset over issues that seem smaller than what you’re going through. Perhaps it seems like you are having one problem right after another. But God promises to never leave us or give us things that we cannot conquer with Him by our side. And He knows your limit is different than your neighbor’s. Comparison only destroys. It will not strengthen us for the battles we face.

My friend wisely said, “God uses the hard times to bring us closer to Him. He won’t ever give us anything we can’t handle. But the key is, we can only overcome those hard things with Him.”

The truth is, we can’t really do anything on our own. We need the support of others, and most of all God, in order to walk through the fire.

So today, realize how far you’ve come. So many things don’t bother you now that would’ve wrecked your world years ago. You don’t have to feel strong in order to be strong. God is the source of our strength and it isn’t reliant on feelings, it’s reliant on who He is and who He has created us to be. Above all, call out to God and listen for His answer. He will help you through whatever you’re going through. And don’t be afraid to reach out to people who love you. They want nothing more than to be by your side and support you too.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

Children of God

Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant when He compared believers to children of God? Here is some encouragement for when you aren’t sure if God loves you.

I love children, I promise you I do. I spend more than half my week teaching them, taking care of them, and being humbled by them. All my previous and current jobs and volunteering opportunities have involved kids. They have such a unique way of viewing the world. It’s still mysterious and exciting to them. I love the spark in their eyes when you tell them something they’ve never heard before. They aren’t so quick to defend their former ways of thinking. They are willing to embrace the surprises in life.

But, if you’ve spent any time at all with kids, you know that they aren’t always easy to be around. They are demanding and impatient. They often believe they know what’s best for them even when they don’t, they change their minds frequently, and they are experts at whining.

When I think about Jesus commanding us to be like children, I’ve always assumed He was referring to the positive qualities I shared: curiosity, innocence, anticipation for the future. But today, as I spent time with three very precious children who ran in three different directions and expected me to be at their beck and call, I’ve found a new insight about being God’s children.

Yes, Jesus included children in His ministry to remind us to embrace the surprises in life and see the world through a child’s lens. But He’s also comparing us to children (regardless of our age) because we are His children. I don’t just mean He made us, I mean our relationship with Him is very much like a child’s is with a parent or guardian.

Just think about it for a minute. When we pray, are we listening to what God has to say, or are we demanding that He do what we ask?

He’s the only one who knows what’s best for us, yet we often like to give Him a piece of our mind the second things don’t seem to be working out.

When kids get in trouble, they often claim that they never knew what the rules were. They were never warned, therefore it’s not their fault. It’s yours. Yet, you distinctly remember telling them what would happen if they broke the rules moments earlier.

It’s easy to blame God when life doesn’t go the way we want. We claim the consequences of our actions are His fault, when really, all God wants to do is help us have a fulfilling life. But do we always want to follow His instructions to have that life?

Despite my comparisons to children being mostly negative, I actually think this relationship is beautiful. Just think about it: when a kid whines to you or demands that you do something for them, it doesn’t make you love them any less. When they don’t obey you and they get the consequence for their action, you don’t think “haha, glad they’re hurt”, you feel sympathy for them. When you make rules, it’s because you love them, not because you look forward to punishing them.

And most of all, you want them to know that no matter what they do, you will never love them less. They can’t do anything to earn that love. You love them just because of who they are.

That’s how God sees us. He doesn’t want us to get hurt. He doesn’t want us to feel heartbroken. But He allows things in our life to happen so that we can learn to run to Him. He teaches us through both the good and bad experiences. And most of all, nothing you can do can make God love you less. He loves you because of who you are, not what you accomplish.

And that, my friend, is true love.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:9-11

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39