Imagine a fish swimming in a river. The swimming fish is content in its environment. It is where it belongs; doing what it is created to do. Now imagine someone scooped the fish up in a net and placed in on the riverbank. What happens? The fish flip flops and struggles on the ground.

Keeping Our Children from Being a Fish Out of Water

We all have one main purpose—to have a relationship with God, to bring glory to Him by the way we live our lives, by how we relate to Him and others (Matt. 22:37-39; Mark 12:29-31).

When we are walking in that purpose we are where we are meant to be, we are swimming in the river of living water. Doing what we are created to do. When we are not fulfilling that purpose we are frustrated, discouraged, depressed, brokenhearted, and frequently provoked to seek out something else that will fulfill the void.

Proverbs 22:6 says Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

This verse shows us a parent’s training must be based on knowing his or her child. The Hebrew text has the personal pronoun attached to the noun “way.” It reads, “his way” and not simply “in the way he should go.” “Way” is the Hebrew word derek, which means “way, road, journey, manner.”

Our number one job as parents is to open our children’s eyes to God’s love and God’s ways and to recognize and acknowledge our child’s purpose –his unique way or bent–then provide the environment, help, encouragement, and the tools to help them full fill it.

We teach our children how much God loves them by example–fulfilling the greatest commands loving God and others. And by reading the stories from God’s Word teaching the m to respect God and learn of His ways.

God will reveal bits and pieces of your child’s purpose through the seasons of your  life. We are to pray to recognize it and be aware of the revelation. Then help them recognize their identity and make available the skills needed for that purpose to be manifested.

Homeschool Scheduling by Faith

On of the worse things we can do is to push our agenda upon them. God forbid we miss recognizing our purpose or miss helping our children find their purpose.

This is why I follow Delight Directed methods over curriculum agenda and why I try to   Schedule by Faith.

In the same way, one of the worse things the leadership in the church can do is to push their agenda on individuals (religion instead of relationship). The church should be the sanctuary where we can find the freedom and encouragement to develop our gifts and talents and purpose just as the home should be the sanctuary where our children can find the freedom and encouragement to develop their gifts and talents.

Prayer

My daily morning prayer goes something like this: Good Morning Father. What would you have me do today? What would you have me say? Open my eyes to Your Light, direction and will. Show me what you want me to teach your children today.

Seek and Trust

God will lead you into your purpose and your children’s purpose. You don’t need to strive to find it. He is able to guide you exactly where you need to go; your job is to keep your eyes and ears open. Spiritual maturity is about coming to the end of ourselves and realizing just how big God really is, and that there is no way that we could ever do it on our own!

Seek God and rest assured, He will perfect that which concerns you and your children. (Psalm 138:8). Trust, have confidence in Him, wait in joyful anticipation for Him to revel His will.  “Blessed are all who wait for Him.” Isaiah 30:18

I began this blogging Fruit of the Spirit things on Fridays meme because I have personally experienced a deeper walk as a result of journaling as part of my personal Bible study. We all struggle with dying to self daily-–we are commanded to share one another’s burdens–I’m hoping the meme will help others focus on God and grow spiritually. Click here for Blog prompts.

Mr Linky isn’t working well for me so if you write a post for this meme put the link in the comment.

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