Who Is Afraid That She Is Ruining Her Kids

You, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

AS A CHILD OF THE NINETIES, one of my favorite gifts to receive was a fresh pack of colorful Play-Doh. I loved opening the small, yellow plastic cans and pulling out the perfect lump of modeling clay. Sure, I loved that I could make anything I wanted, but what I really loved was that the clay didn’t have any flaws or marks. The green didn’t have bits of red or white left over from previous creations. Sometimes I’d wait before I made anything with the clay because I didn’t want it to be ruined. It was a clean slate, a fresh start, and I could make it into anything I imagined.

It might seem an odd comparison, but when I brought my kids home from the hospital, they, too, were fresh, unmarked by anyone’s influence. I remember thinking that who they grew to be had so much to do with what I modeled and how I cared for them. I told myself, I’ll never yell. I’ll never let them watch too much TV. I’ll cook only the healthiest foods. And then, as our life began to unfold, I realized my children weren’t being raised by a saint. They were being raised by a woman who relied heavily on Jesus but still got it wrong plenty of times.

So can I speak honestly for just a moment? I wonder if you worry that your own imperfections are going to somehow prevent your children from becoming what you hope for them. I wonder if you, too, had plans for how you’d parent your kids, and you’re noticing that no matter what you do, little bits of yourself are showing up in their attitudes and behaviors. You’re questioning whether you’re doing a good job.

Momma, God knows how hard you’re trying to set good examples and good goals for your family. He knows that if love were all it took, you’d never have to worry about how anything turned out because you love your kids so much. But just as Isaiah prayed, the truth is that God is the One shaping our children alongside us.

So even when we get it wrong or make decisions we wish we could change, we can trust that the Lord knows who our children will become and knows you are the mom who can help them get there. If it were only up to us, we’d have to carry the full weight of who our children become, but they need us to be their momma . . . not their Lord. They still need Jesus to help them grow into all He has for them. You’re doing a good job, friend.

Tonight we pray for the momma who is afraid she is ruining her kids. She tries to speak softly, but sometimes she yells. She tries to cook nutritious meals, but sometimes it’s just frozen pizza. She doesn’t want time to pass, but sometimes she thinks, If only they were a little older. Lord, tonight we pray for this momma. Please make her path straight. Please fill her with your peace and strength. Remind her that she is trying her hardest and that You love her.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

Father, please continue to mold ___________________ as I continue to trust You to lead me.