As a father of 5, ages 7 and younger, I really need help. I can remember the feeling when I held each child for the first time. It was a feeling of wonder and awe, but then the thought came, “How in the world am I going to raise this child? How can I be the best that I can be?”
With each new addition to our family, those feelings and thoughts would flood back. The question that I would ask myself demands an answer. How was I supposed to bring these precious lives up in the fear and admonition of the Lord when I am learning how to live like Jesus everyday and still battling with feelings of inadequacy?
These little “self talks” always lead me to two options. I either get overwhelmed and discouraged or I can look to the Lord for help and guidance. Psalm 121 is a favorite of mine. Verses 1 & 2 always bless me:
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.”
The God Who made heaven and earth is here to help me. Not just in raising these 5 kids, but in every area of life. These truths may seem simplistic to you, but for me, I need these reminders daily. As fathers, we have an opportunity to speak into the lives of our children. I want to be receiving the help I need from my Heavenly Father.
How can I do this day in and day out? I have found that applying these three things to my life have helped me immensely:
- Begin each day reading God’s Word — God’s Word is truth and has the answers for all of life’s problems
- Seek help from my spouse — My wife will offer encouragement, wisdom, and a listening ear when I get overwhelmed. She helps give a new perspective.
- Have a teachable spirit — No Christian has “arrived.” We all should be growing and learning from the wisdom of others. God uses people to help us!
Be encouraged.