Lazy Days Confession
From the Armor Series
“As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God.”
Psalms 42:1-2a CSB
Hey mama!
This week we have been discussing how one of the enemy’s schemes is to deceive us into living an apathetic, lethargic Christian life. He keeps us busy and guilt-ridden, unable to say no to the many demands shouting for our attention. We end our days, weeks, and months in an exhausted heap and eventually stop caring altogether. I call it my “hampster-on-a-wheel” kind of exhaustion. Always busy but never going anywhere. Ever feel that way?
Since we are on the subject of the enemy’s schemes, I have a confession. I have been guilty of putting myself before my kids. And not in a good way either.
I guess I should clarify that statement. I never reach for the last of anything, whether it is the last piece of food or anything of need. And I will rearrange my schedule to move mountains for my kids in circumstances within my control and sometimes ones that are beyond my control. I’m sure you get it. You are a mama too and have your own sacrifices that you make.
My confession goes beyond those things though. It’s when I have exhausted myself beyond measure with worldly things and fail to engage in the spiritual growth of my children. It’s when I have skirted my responsibility of their relationship with Jesus by doing the things that I want to do first, leaving no time or energy to disciple their heart for God. And sadly, I placed that job in the hands of church people – our pastor, Sunday School teachers, and Wednesday night leaders instead of making it a priority myself.
See, the enemy convinced me for so long that I was doing enough. After all, I had my children in church faithfully every time the doors were open. And while faithful church involvement is a solid foundation for my children to have, the church won’t be the one to answer for where MY children will spend eternity or how strong and deep their relationship is with Jesus. Ultimately, It’s my responsibility as their mama.
Sweet friend, don’t allow the enemy to whisper his lies in your ears of lethargic Christian living anymore. Our number one job as mamas is the housekeeping of our child’s eternal soul. Of course, the first half of that job is laying the foundation of where our kids will spend eternity. But the second half is equally important.
The second half is helping our children develop a love and hunger for Jesus and God’s word like King David wrote about in Psalms 42:1-2a, “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God.”– It’s teaching them how to walk with God daily and how to be victorious in spiritual warfare. It’s desiring a hunger for God more than hungering for the world. They need to know it’s more about our relationship with the Almighty King of Kings that will sustain them in good times and bad.
The state of their soul should always take priority over preparing them for worldly things like college, marriage, their own family, a sports career, how to live on their own, for the ups and downs of life, and how to interact with others. Those things are important but not as important as spiritual matters. However, the enemy is tricky – he’s successful at shifting our focus to the less important things rather than eternal things. Friend, not today – not anymore!
God,
Thank you for Jesus and for your great love for us. Thank you for the victory that Jesus secured for us. Help me to be a mama that focuses more on my child’s relationship with you than my own desires. Help me to always be aware of the spiritual battle raging for my kids. And give me strength and boldness to stand firm against the enemy. In Jesus name, Amen.
Reflection:
Where do you notice lazy tendencies in your role as a mama? What is one thing you can do today to reverse the patterns that lead to lethargic Christian living? Journal your thoughts and prayers.