Daniel Switzer Ed.D.: Patience Parents!

Raising Our Children: The Need for Faith, Faithfulness, and an Abundance of Patience
By Pastor Daniel L. Switzer, Ed.D.

Any parent knows that working with children takes an abundance of patience. However, I would like to take a look at the long-term perspective that we as parents need to have in order to see God do His work in our children’s lives. James 1:4 says, “Let patience have her perfect work.” Hebrews 6:12 encourages us “to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (NIV). It’s that combination of faith and patience that is applicable here. 

God has plans for our children that He has ordained from the beginning of time. There is a promised land for each one of our children. As parents, we need to exercise faith, faithfulness, and patience in order to see God’s promises come to fruition in our children’s lives.

Faith
First we need to stand in faith for our children. We need to have faith that God is working in our children’s hearts. God calls us to live by faith and that principle includes the raising of our children. We need to raise our children with eyes of faith. As Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Sometimes we may get discouraged when we see the immediacy of our children’s behavior. However, we need to look at our children with eyes of faith.

In truth, while still disciplining and correcting our children to Biblical standards, we need to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and trust that God is working through us to help our children to become the champions that He is calling them to be. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus, stay encouraged, and remember to encourage our children with the confidence that comes from God. 

Faithfulness
Of course, God calls us to faithfulness in this great call of parenting our children. We’re counseled to “train” our children. Integral to training is the need for faithfulness. Unfortunately, some teach that all you have to do is to have faith for your children. On the contrary, the Bible teaches that we need faith and faithfulness. James 2:17 tells us that “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” Our faith for our children—our hope for them—is shown by our actions on a daily basis. For us as parents, our faithfulness is shown by the consistency of our daily application of Biblical encouragement and discipline in the lives of our children. And this leads me to the major point of this article—the need for patience. 

Patience
Any parent can tell you of the need for patience in working with our children. However, we need to have an attitude that combines faith, faithfulness, and patience in the raising up of our children. If we have true faith in God’s Word—His promises in the lives of our children, we will patiently exercise faithfulness in our parenting of them. As alluded to earlier, we inherit the promises “through faith and patience” (Hebrews 6:12).

This patience is not the kind that says I’m just going to allow my children to do what they will—basically abdicating our responsibility and letting our children pursue the broad path that leads to destruction. Rather, this patience is the kind that keeps us from getting discouraged as we do the day-by-day work—called training—that is necessary to truly raise up our children after God.

Recently grass was planted in our back yard. The soil had to be worked and the seed had to be spread. Of course, God provided sunlight and water. Sure enough, the little grasses started to sprout in due time. Isaiah 61:11 says, “For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” 

Seed is an amazing thing that God has given us. He has given us much seed which when faithfully planted results in much fruit. It takes time for fruit to grow. It takes time for the seed to take hold in the ground and receive the sunshine and the water necessary in order to grow.

It’s the same principle with the seed of God’s Word. As we apply God’s Word in the training of our children, we need to be patient for that Word to take root. We need to work the soil of our children’s hearts—taking out the stones and the weeds. We need to communicate much favor (sunshine) as well as nourishing water. Eventually, the seed of faith, faithfulness, and patience will bear fruit. We can be confident that God’s Word will not return empty in our children’s lives. As we faithfully and patiently apply the Word of God, we will see the fruit of Christ’s righteousness coming forth from their lives! Fellow parents, be encouraged—be filled with faith, make decisions out of faith (not fear), work with your children and communicate the Word of God with them—faithfully and patiently! Let “patience have its perfect work”!