What Worry Says to God and Our Kids By Cindi McMenamin
(I am honored to have my dear friend, speaker and author Cindi McMenamin contribute this insightful article today to help you parent with NO REGRETS!)
I’ll admit it. I’ve said the words aloud or thought them many times. And I’m guessing you have, too.
They’re two of the most debilitating words a mom can say. They fill our minds with doubt and our hearts with fear. And they cause us to question what we believe, doubt the One we love, and stress about what we could otherwise rest about.
They are the words: “What if…?”
- What if my children get hurt?
- What if they don’t make friends?
- What if they follow the wrong crowd?
- What if they’re lying to me?
- What if they never get married?
- And finally, What if I’m not a good enough mom?
But I realized one day, after spending time in God’s Word, that at the root of all my “What if” questions is what I really believe about God’s character. When my mind plays through the various scenarios I’m worried about, the question I’m really asking is “What if God isn’t able?” “What if God isn’t good?” “What if God can’t handle this?”
There’s a reason God’s Word tells me:
Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).
As I give God all of my what ifs, worries, and anxieties, He can calm my heart and remind me that He is in absolute control. Then I can encourage my child, rather than stress her out with my worry and make her think she’s better off not letting me know what’s going on in her life.
That was one of the lessons I had to learn before I wrote my book, 10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom. Based on my own experience mothering – as well as wisdom and advice from many other moms – I found that there are treasures (secrets, if you will) to discover as we surrender to God what is closest to our hearts – our children.
One of those treasures is the incredible peace He offers as the Perfect Parent who allows us to partner with Him in raising, loving, and caring (not worrying) for our kids. Another treasure is that our relationship with God, our kids, and our husband, gets better when we become encouragers, rather than worriers.
When you and I trust God with what is closest to our hearts, we are saying “You, God, are capable. You are trustworthy. And all my worries and what ifs are in vain.”
So how do you give God your concerns about your kids instead of worrying about them?
It’s as easy as A-B-C:
A – Admit you do not have control over your child’s life. As good of a monitor as you may be, about your child’s entertainment, friends, and whereabouts, your child will eventually be exposed to something or make a decision on his or her own that you have no control over. And those decisions may, at times, grieve your heart. Go ahead, give up that quest for control right now by saying aloud: “I am not in control of my child’s life. God is.”
B – Believe God wants only the best for you AND your child. Sometimes we fear that God will ask something of us or our children that we’re not willing to give. When you understand that God loves your child even more than you do, and He loves you more than you can imagine, there is peace in placing yourself and your child in God’s hands.
C- Commit yourself to a deeper knowledge of God. I believe our worry (and security) factor is directly related to how well we know God. When we truly know Him and understand all that He is capable of, we can’t help but trust Him. As you grow in a more intimate relationship with God, your worries will fall by the wayside. And you’ll have a new, healthier habit: Trust.
Would you like to win a free copy of Cindi’s newest book, 10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom?
Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker and author of more than a dozen books, including
When Women Walk Alone, (more than 125,000 copies sold),
When a Woman Inspires Her Husband, and her newest,
10 Secrets to Becoming a Worry-Free Mom .
Cindi and her husband, Hugh, live in Southern California with their daughter, Dana. For more on her ministry, see her website: StrengthForTheSoul.com or find her on Facebook.
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JOIN: Cindi McMenamin & Rhonda Stoppe at MomsDayOut.Us
Calvary Chapel Oceanside – 3715 Oceanic Way, Oceanside, CA
April 2, 2016 – 8:30-2:00pm
MOMS – Come Get Away With Us:
As a mom, your life is hectic. Responsibilities abound. Pressures build. Mistakes are made. You feel alone. And mom-guilt sets in. And Cindi and Rhonda understand. They’re moms…they get it!
That’s why speakers & authors Cindi McMenamin and Rhonda Stoppe have designed a safe place for you to slow down, have some laughs, relax, and focus on what’s most important in life.
MomsDayOut.Us is a one-day-getaway designed to refresh moms, strengthen your souls, and train you to parent with no regrets.
BRING MomsDayOut to your venue – Visit MomsDayOut.Us for details
