Read Psalm 130 in your personal Bible or at the link provided.
Review
1. What emotions accompany the prayer in these verses?
2. What attributes of God are named?
3. What is the result of these attributes?
Reflect
At the foundation of long-game parenting is the knowledge that we’ve all failed and fallen short. As parents we’ve fallen short, and our kids will too. When that happens, it’s easy to react rather than respond. And often, our reaction stems from something we haven’t dealt with internally.
When we mess up, one of the best things we can do is own up to our mistakes, acknowledging them and asking for forgiveness. Every parenting failure can become an opportunity if we’re willing to do the work of repair. This means repairing harm when we cause it while also releasing the shame we feel because of it. Repentance is something we get to do without shame because our failures have been nailed to the cross. We cannot mess up our kids so much that Jesus can’t redeem them.
When we choose to lead authentically, owning our mistakes, confessing our sins, and demonstrating our need for Jesus, we show our kids where hope truly comes from. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s leading the next generation toward Jesus.
Respond
What small choice can you make to respond, repent, and/or repair a mistake you’ve made with your children or someone else’s children? Write down one or two practical things you can do today, and follow through on one of them.
Want some ideas? Check out our parent resources at tpcc.org/parents!