GraceFox

Before writing Moving From Fear to Freedom, I conducted a survey of approximately 350 women ages 19-80. According to results, a woman’s #1 fear is the fear for her child’s well-being. One woman said, “I’m not even a mother yet, and already I’m afraid for my child’s safety.”

It’s not just concern for their physical safety that causes anxiety, although heaven knows there’s plenty of reason for that. I recall the days when protecting my little ones from falling down stairwells, straying into a busy street or swallowing something that could choke them obsessed me. That was nothing compared to the anxiety I felt when they started driving alone and when they left home following high school graduation.

Thankfully my kids and I survived their childhood and teenage years. Now they’re in their 20s and becoming parents themselves. I love them dearly and I’m proud of who they’ve become. There’s only one problem – I still wrestle with fear for my children’s well-being. What if they flounder financially? What if they struggle with relationships? What if they make poor choices that will affect them negatively for the rest of their lives? What if they’re treated unfairly in the work place? What if they lose their passion for Jesus? What if, what if, what if….

Once upon a time, I raced to protect my kids from danger. If they fell and scraped a knee, I could give them a kiss and fix the owie. Now I can’t do that. They’re adults and making their own choices. They’re not obligated to ask for my advice, and I’m wise not to offer it too freely. So what’s a mom to do?

Here’s a verse that’s ideal for mothers who can relate to what I’m feeling: “Those who fear the Lord are secure; he will be a refuge for their children” (Proverbs 14:26). What a great promise! It reminds me to keep my focus on God for therein lies my ability to move beyond my fears for my kids’ well-being. He is my security no matter what circumstances my family faces. It also contains a promise for my children.

God promises to be their refuge. He invites them to run to Him, to pour out their hearts to Him and to find their needs met in Him. He’s their source of wisdom and strength. He loves them unconditionally and knows the big picture surrounding their lives and His purpose for them.

Granted, your kids and mine have free will. They can choose to find their refuge in Him or to run the other direction. That’s where our prayers come in. There’s nothing I pray more than for God to instill a healthy fear of Himself within my kids’ (and grandkids’) hearts. I know life will go much better for them if they view it with an appropriate understanding of who God is.

Perhaps your kids are struggling in their spiritual lives. Making God their refuge isn’t even on their radar. If so, do not lose heart. Keep your focus on the Lord and find your security in Him. Thank Him that He’s promised to be a refuge for your children. Keep asking Him to instill a reverential awe for Him within their hearts. And may He fill you with hope and joy in knowing that He is more than able to fulfill His Word.

Do you have a special promise or prayer that relates to your kids?