Is Your Daughter’s Faith Her Own?
It’s a question that burns its way into the hearts of all believing moms.
Is my daughter’s faith her own?
And sometimes it takes years to know for sure.
We share the gospel from their youth – that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, rose again, and offers the gift of salvation to all who trust fully in Him. We read Scripture in our homes. We pray together. We worship in our local church body.
We share the truth. We plant the seeds, water them, and wait.
And we long to see, to know for sure, that our girls get it. That they’ve really given their lives over to the Jesus who loves them.
But as they journey through the tween years, the water can get awfully muddy. They’re being stretched in every possible way, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually as well.
It’s not always easy, during these challenging years, to know where they’re at in their walk with Jesus. Sometimes our hopes rise as we’re sure we see fruit, yet other times we despair, because surely they wouldn’t do or say such a thing if they really loved the Lord!
If you’re wading through this season of confusion, keep these things in mind…
First, repeating the truth of God’s Word, maybe in fresh new ways or in fresh settings, is important.
You may think your daughter “knows it all” already, but you never know when things will truly click. Share God’s Word “…when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 11:19).
Secondly, stay in close relationship with your girl.
Make time for heart-to-heart talks. They may happen in the car, before bed, or as you craft together. They aren’t always easy to create, but if you give your daughter some “white space” in which neither of you are distracted by electronic gadgets or that never-ending to-do list, you may catch glimpses of where she’s at spiritually. You may find those moments you’re hoping for, when you can speak just the nugget of truth and encouragement that she needs to take the next step spiritually.
Thirdly, pray and allow God’s Spirit to do the work.
We moms long to control everything. We often play the role of the Holy Spirit, and grow frustrated when all of our work doesn’t yield the fruit we’re expecting.
But it’s the fervent prayers of the righteous that accomplish much (James 5:16). It’s the God (not the mom!) who began the work in your daughter’s life that is going to bring it to completion. (Philippians 1:6).
Pray fervently. Pray frequently. And let God do His work in His ways, in His timing. He cherishes your daughter even more than you do. And He will pursue her heart with a perfect passion.
Mom, your daughter is watching you and listening to you, even though she sometimes pretends she isn’t. As you share the truth, again and again… As you stay close to her, making yourself available to her… As you pray in faith for God to do His work, your daughter is going to see Jesus in you.
And that in itself may make all the difference!
by Jennifer Ebenhack