Raising children with Biblical principals is now more of a challenge than ever before. Society is trying to re-define what is good and what is evil. As parents, we often struggle to maintain the course of raising children spiritually. Work schedules, extracurricular activities and personal time consume our lives. How do we focus on raising children spiritually when we are always getting pulled apart at the seams?
Starting our day with prayer is an excellent way to get into the mindset for the day. Setting the tone for your day as soon as you get up can be the measure of whether or not your day is a success. Praying with your children on the way to school brings God at the forefront before their day starts. Praise God for what he has done in your life and what you still need help on.
How do we counter culture when raising children spiritually?
We must understand that there are a lot of influences in our child's life. From the minute we drop our kids off at school, we are entrusting our children with the direction of someone else. The hour at afterschool daycare before we pick our children up, someone has their ear. When our kids ride the bus on the way home or go to after school activities, they have another influence in their life. The list is endless.
Setting a solid foundation for our children to grow upon is the best way to raise our children spiritually. Foundation start at home. Parents and guardians are the role models that set the tone. What a child watches on TV, sees on the internet or what music they listen to should be managed by the authority in their life. Most parents want their children to be able to make their choices. Parents don't want to control their children's lives. We often forget that our children will listen to us, even if they disobey.
Colossians 3:20 NASB “Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.”
Explaining to a child why a show is not good to watch or why you cannot go to that website does impact them. Lay out the Biblical case for why some things are right, and some things are wrong. Even if your child makes a mistake and disobeys, your words will stick in their head. They might have to find out for themselves why something is wrong. Set your children up for Biblical success. Be a Biblical role model in their life. Trust in God that he will keep your family on the right path.