WHAT DO YOU FEAR?

Fear can be good…

We fear getting a speeding ticket, so we drive slower. We fear the penalty of getting caught, so we don’t steal. These are examples of healthy fears.

But fear can also be not so good…

Fear is usually the reason behind why we cannot sleep at 2 a.m.

As a single mom, my unhealthy fears were elevated.

During my single mom season I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior. I trusted Him. However, there were a few situations where I didn’t totally give it all to Him.  I didn’t relinquish the fear of not being enough for my children; the not being able to meet their needs fear when they wanted both mom and dad.  As single mom, I thought my new job was to be both parents to them.

Whether you share custody or you are parenting without their dad, we fear that our children will not like us or they’ll see us as the disciplined parent (vs. the easy going fun parent) during times we exercise our parental muscles.

From the Garden in Eden to present day, the ‘fear of losing something’ exists in all of us.

When we allow fear to make us run from the truth by ‘ignoring’ a situation, OR when we go to the other extreme and use ‘vice-like’ control in a situation; we are essentially saying that we do not need God in our lives and ultimately exclude Him.

God did not give His children a spirit of fear.

 ‘For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.’
(2 Timothy 1:7)

We do not need to fear the responsibilities that come with being a single mom. In the Book of Timothy, God promises us a spirit of power, love and self-discipline. That’s what we need to rely on and that’s what we need to teach our children to rely on too. Your children have fears too. Divorce and parents separating is a scary time for them. It’s our job, as parent, to teach them God’s Truths and Promises. Sometimes we learn this together with our children. Praise God!

It’s okay to be afraid. Just don’t run from it or try to control it so tightly that you exclude the One that can give you strength and wisdom and power to overcome it. Let your children see that you are going to God with your fears. Show your children how to claim God’s promises. This teaches them by example what to do with the fears that they face.

Until next time~

Blessings, Nancy