I am SO glad that Monday is here!!! I miss our study on the weekends, don't you?
There are some new pages up top; let me know what you think and if you have anything to add.
Read Proverbs 4: 1-9
Once again I am humbled by reading this. Our study has caused me to pray more diligently for my children and want to impress upon them the importance of working to obtain Godly wisdom through studying His word. It is so hard once they grow up and they are not allowing God to be first in their life. It breaks my heart. I want to be diligent about my God time so that my children can learn by example.
In your journal, write down the reference to today's passage. Then right down all the commandments and/or instructions given in verses 1-9.
Then below that make a list of all the benefits. We have already done this once in our study but it is nice to keep a list to refer to. This list can even be lovingly referred to when disciplining our children.
Do you pray before you discipline? I truly hope so. We all lash out in the moment, and I end up having to apologize to my teen son too often because of that. (It is good for your kids to see you apologize, you know!) Perhaps you could refer to some of your Proverbs journal entries before disciplining your child. I know that many of you might just skip right over that because your child is grown, but my adult child still needs disciplined too. I had to handle a problem just this past week.
For our discussion today, let's have some fun with verse 9....what do you think of when you read this. Or how would you rewrite it in your words?
What a sweet passage. It's extremely hard to hold your discipline until you calm down. Of course, a toddler won't understand if you wait, but you seldom get really angry at a toddler. *wink* I admit that when my children were growing up, I didn't pray or read scripture before punishing them. (Something I'm not proud of.) And since they are both adults with families, my time of discipline is over. I can only lead by example, and advice. Lord help me in that!
ReplyDeleteVerse 9 is a match to chapter 3 verse 22. In my own words...
You will be filled with God's grace; and you will glorify the Father.
I too regret some things I did and didn't do as the boys were younger. I need to be more disciplined myself. I pray they are under God's grace and care.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great verse. I need to seek wisdom more and more. Then I will find it.
I know that many times I did not pause before exacting discipline...and that is one thing that my estranged son holds against us now. We did not abuse our children, and we ALWAYS apologized when we realized we had done or said something wrong, but instead of recalling those times and learning from our example, he thrust our failures in front of us before he left. It is heartbreaking to come face-to-face with your own shortcomings and sins, but even worse to see that your attempts to temper the results with forgiveness, mercy, and grace have failed as well. I know that God has forgiven us but I wonder if our son ever will.
ReplyDeleteI think verse 9 is wonderful, since it promises "increase of graces" meaning perhaps the fruits of the Spirit? And that wisdom will protect us! Awesome. I find myself wondering if God in His wisdom is protecting my hubby and me from the way our son is now..
Jacque in SC
quiltnsrep(at)yahoo(dot)com
Jacque,
ReplyDeleteyour situation is a great reminder that Proverbs are not promises. I am sure you tried everything in your abilities to 'Train up a child in the way he should go'. I know you are hurting very much.
I have an adult child who, while she isn't completely acting out, is not doing as she should either. She just won't live for God and I'll never understand why because when she was a child and her early teen years she was a very strong Christian. I just keep shaking my head and wondering, "What happened?". She recently had a chance for a clean start (her husband came back from Afghanistan and divorced her), yet she still isn't living for the Lord. It hurts. I can just imagine how you are hurting! I am sorry. :(
It breaks my heart to read your stories and makes me so very thankful that my children are close to the Lord and close to their father and me. No, they don't always do what I think the should in following God's will. But neither do I! I will add these two children of yours to my prayer list for sure.
ReplyDelete