Sorry, no results.
Please try another keyword
by Bob and Debby Gass
Roots and Wings (2)
April 14, 2013
‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother...’ Genesis 2:24 NIV
On the journey from adolescence to adulthood, your children will experience insecurity, contradictions and mood swings. They will send you conflicting signals: needing closeness, yet distance; connection, yet independence, all at the same time. They will pull you in with one hand and push you away with the other. You must understand that your children still need to feel securely attached, even while they’re distancing from you. When they push you away you must show maturity, remembering that it’s not personal; it’s just how they test their ability to become independent adults. Minutes, hours or days later they are your child again, wanting to be up close. It’s the ‘tug–o’–war’ of parenting youngsters, and it will resolve itself the right way if you handle it with understanding. Above all, contain your hurt and anger. ‘Fathers [mothers], do not…provoke [engage in contention, debate and strife] your children to anger [irritation, exasperation, embitterment].’ (Ephesians 6:4 AMP) The worst outcome of frequent run–ins with your children is that it produces long–term discouragement in them. Long after the ‘mop–up’, your child can ‘lose heart’ (Colossians 3:21 NAS), and have their ‘spirit…broken.’ (BBE) In some cases they give up trying altogether. In western cultures, girls hold onto the parent–child ‘rope’ longer than boys, generally distancing later and with less finality. Boys tend toward earlier, longer–lasting distancing. When you deny your son or daughter the God–given need for gradual latitude, they’ll disconnect farther and faster. Use wisdom, ‘let out the rope’ gradually and they’ll learn adult skills and stay more closely connected.
Soulfood: Gal 5:22, Luke 2:8–20, Ps 119:161–168, Pr 3:13–18
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright © 2013
Subscribe Today
Have this devotional delivered to your inbox for daily inspiration.
More Inspiring Devotions
In Scripture, the number forty denotes testing, trials, and temptation. God told Noah, Seven days from now I will send...
The story is told of a man in a supermarket pushing a trolley with a screaming baby. He kept repeating...
Because Gods Spirit lives within you doesnt guarantee His power is at work in your life. Gods power is available,...
When the pressures in your life begin to mount, the first thing you will be tempted to drop is your...
Showing 1-4 of 5706 results