Confession: I worry about my kids. Three beautiful young adult kids. I fear for them, for their future, for their health, for their relationships, and for each one different things in different areas. Sometimes I am consumed with fear and worry.

There are times when I allow my thoughts to run their course, and they become a mighty, rolling river flowing away from the One who is trustworthy and true. My fretting betrays the One who is sovereign over all.  The temptation is to despair. I am prone to forget that there is a God in heaven who loves my children more than I could ever imagine.

I know that God is for me. I get that. But, in all honesty I sometimes question His goodness toward my own children. In truth, this is idol worship. It is projecting my version of what I want my kids’ lives to be like and elevating it above the means of God’s own choosing, His good plans to accomplish what He desires and what He deems necessary for their eternal benefit.

In my attempt to achieve the humanly impossible task of smoothing out life’s bumps and mitigating hurts and temptation before my kids even get to them, I trade a thin, sanitized shallowness for the profound lessons God wants to teach them about this life and who He is. Even worse, I compromise my witness for Christ. They see me worry and fret, and wonder why I don’t trust God for them. Could my weakness end up crippling their faith? God forbid!

Today, I need an intervention. I’m asking the Lord for a divine interruption into my thought life. I’m asking for a worry fest party-crasher, the Holy Spirit of God to burst upon the scene with both barrels blazing! A coup d’etat of sorts, overthrowing the fear that so often governs me and replacing it with restored faith in a good and faithful God who holds my children’s futures in the palm of His hand. Surely, God is able!

Fear is the enemy of faith, therefore:

…The weapons of [my] warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. [I] destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ… (2 Cor. 10:45)

and

…for God gave [me] a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim. 1:7)

and

…when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. (Ps. 61:2)

Holy Spirit, captivate my thoughts and replace worry and fear with hope and gratitude that all the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ Jesus.

Let the Good News rule.

By His Grace and for the Gospel,
Terrie van Baarsel