Last night I witnessed a miracle. No one was healed from an incurable disease or rose from the dead, but it was a miracle nonetheless. For many months my husband and I have often felt helpless and hopeless, unsure of what we could do to change a seemingly impossible situation. Day after day we've watched our three children disrespect each other in all forms of anger, selfishness and impatience, and my husband and I in turn have tried all manner of attempts to correct, instruct, and discipline them with little to no effect. In a home of professing Christ followers, arguing and strife to this degree should have no place.
So what do we do when we’re at at the end of our rope? When all else fails? We pray. And so for the past several months we've been praying for our kids like never before—praying that they would hunger and thirst for righteousness, praying for the healing of family relationships, praying that they would learn to speak life.
The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17) and that the prayer of a righteous person in powerful and effective (James 5:16). God hears our prayers and the Bible tells us that, as the good Father that He is, He will give good things to those who ask Him (Matt. 7:11). When we ask according to His will, we can expect God to move, maybe not in the way or timing that we expect, but in His perfect way.
Now back to that miracle. Yet another skirmish between my six-year-old twins just before bedtime paved the way for the most beautiful conversation about God, sin, forgiveness, and grace. It was followed up by the longest, most heartfelt and contrite individual prayers they had ever prayed. We felt the presence of the Lord in that room, and though I knew the hour was late, I wouldn't put the brakes on what He was doing for anything.
After the twins fell into peaceful slumber, it was now my ten-year-old son's turn to go to bed. For several weeks now he’s been reading his Bible every night and a couple of days ago he told me that he loves reading it. Last night, much to our delight, he mentioned his determination to read through the entire Bible by his birthday in July. My husband and I were filled with awe. Just a couple of months ago, nothing would induce this boy to read his Bible, but now? The Lord is at work.
I tell you this story to encourage you that nothing is too big for the Lord. Pray. Trust. Prevail. God is still in the business of answering prayer. I’ll continue to pray for my kids because our enemy is always seeking to devour and destroy—the battle isn't over—but I can rest assured that God hears and that He is faithful. Trust Him to be with you through whatever challenges you face today.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8)
Blessings to you,
Christin
P.s. For a great resource to help you pray for your kids, check out The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian. I use the prayers from this book all the time; it was the best gift I ever received.
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