Helpful Advice: Parenting with Patience Biblically!
Parenting with patience is going to take effort and surrender. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that you can grow to be able to have peace in your home. Whether you have toddlers or teenagers, this is one character trait you will want on your side.
It can be hard to parent with patience, especially with toddlers or young kiddos. As mothers, we have so many things that demand our attention. Sometimes though, when our attention isn’t aimed in the right direction, it can lead to frustration in our parenting. A healthy home isn’t one that has a lack of patience. Patience is needed in the parent as well as the child.
In this post, you will find 3 reasons why you lack the patience you need to parent successfully. These things, once removed or new habit formed, will be the turning point for you in how peaceful your home is. Now, your children are still going to be loud, so the peace I am referring to is not that of a quiet home, ha! More of a quiet spirit at peace with the surroundings you face on the daily.
Parenting with Patience: Are you Abiding?
Let’s start with this one. If you are not abiding in Christ, then you will not have the patience you need to sustain yourself.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
John 15:4 NLT
Patience is a fruit of the Spirit. This may be elementary for some, but if you are finding yourself lacking patience then you need to revisit where you are spiritually.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Galations 5:22-23 NLT
If we are not abiding in Christ, we can not produce the patience that we need.
If you are struggling to have patience with your children, ask yourself these questions.
Am I spending time with the Lord each day in prayer?
Is the word of God being used to renew my mind daily?
Am I taking every thought captive?
What does my worship look like?
You can click the links above to find scripture that will help you get your mind on Christ and not your earthly situations. Get rid of any distractions and make this a priority.
A mind fixated on Him, in Him will produce much fruit!
Related post: How to Get to the Root cause of Anger
Parenting with Patience: What is your Focus?
Speaking from experience: if you have your entire focus on yourself, your tasks for the day, I can tell you without a doubt that you will lack patience.
You will be so worried about meeting your needs over your child’s and therefore will be frustrated beyond words when your needs are not met.
For example, the laundry “needs” to be folded, but have you sat down and read your toddler a book today? Or the dishes are piling up in the sink but you have neglected even talking to your child to see how their day is going.
When we neglect our children in this way we can see them act out in a negative way. Then we wonder what is wrong with them, when it was our fault all along.
Like, sure, there will be days when you need to get things done. Just don’t put the “things” over your children. Especially if they are younger, say, toddler, these are the habit forming years. You are setting the foundation in this season. Make time for them!
Be the change in your family. Put your children first and watch how much patience you receive from it! The bible tells us that we should love above all else. If we have not love we have nothing.
If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2 NLT
Parenting with Patience: How is your Health?
As mothers, we can often put ourselves last. Last in our health is probably one of the top things we do because we are so busy keeping up with life and children.
Let’s talk about something you can change today to ensure more patience with your children tomorrow.
Sleep…
Sleep is an important factor to consider if you find yourself losing patience more often. When you are tired, you can’t focus, you can be irritable, grumpy, all the things.
It’s hard to get sleep with a newborn or co-sleeping toddler, hello, been there! So mamas, if you are in that season, I feel you. Sometimes you just need to get past a season or find ways to adjust to be able to get more sleep.
If you are staying up late because it’s the only quiet time you have in your day. I feel you there as well. Using this time for prayer is a great way to get the spiritual rest you need from God.
Staying up late to binge TV or social media however, is a no no. If you want change in the way you deal with conflict during the day and want more patience, you must have rest.
Rest and eat good during the day so you aren’t hangry and this will be a recipe for success!
Let’s Review
We’ve discussed these points: Abide in Christ Jesus, Focus on your children’s needs, & make sure you are fueling your physical body adequately.
These will get you started off right to parenting your children with more patience. If any of these is missing, you will struggle.
Ask the Lord to give you wisdom in your situation on how you can grow the spiritual fruit of patience so that you can be the peaceful mother you want to be. Seek and you shall find!
Here are other topics on Christian Motherhood that you may find helpful.
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