Way too often, our children can be just plain stubborn! They insist they know better and they refuse to listen to any wise counsel. They make choices that, sooner or later, they just might regret. Sound familiar? This is childhood mentality, which is founded on our fallen nature with this selfish, MMI, prideful mentality. Every single human being, to one degree or another, has this, and when we exercise Pride instead of Humility, it always leads to poor consequences. But not every consequence has to be bad. When we choose to listen to our Holy Father, and follow His Will, then good things come too.
Of course, sometimes it can be challenging to really know what God’s Will is for us. The trick is to knock on doors and see which one opens. This is a good lesson for our children too. If they are not sure which way the Lord is leading them, for instance which college to attend, then with you by their side, they can take a step and see what God does. If He chooses to not allow a school to accept your child, your child has to be ok with that, trusting that God has something better in store for them elsewhere.
Since I do NOT want negative consequences in my life…who does, right? I often pray, “Lord, please do not open any doors that You do not want me to walk through, and any doors You do open for me, please walk through them with me.” When we can teach our children, as early as possible, to pray without an agenda and truly desire for God to answer this simple prayer above, they will learn to walk in His Grace, step by step. “No agendas” does not come natural to us. We want what we want. But real maturity only wants whatever God Will’s for us. Again, the earlier we can teach this to our kids, the more mature they will truly be, and the more fulfilling their lives will be too. A good lesson for all of us, huh?
<>< Peace, Diane
