I recently posted a lengthy article which laid out six supracultural biblical parenting principles. To be “supracultural” means they are principles that apply in every single culture. To be “biblical” means they are attitudes we see taught in Scripture, but not necessarily about parenting. I applied them to parenting, however, in my original article.

My original post is found here. It was quite long, so someone encouraged me to rerelease it as six individual posts. This is part one of six; it excludes the original introduction and gets right to the questions.

Does My Parenting Style Include Trust In God?

Supracultural Principle: Christians believe trust is central to our relationship with God. We experience a constant battle between fear and faith.

Fear has always been an issue for God’s people. At the borders of Canaan, the ten spies swayed the Israelites from going into the Promised Land. This was fear. The giants in the land were too much for them, they said. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, had faith. They saw God. Not the self. Not the enemy.

But this is the struggle. We know we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart. Do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Trust. Faith. God's encouragement is constant. Live by faith. Trust him. Lean upon Him.

Paul, writing to a young pastor named Timothy, said, “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7). The fear is not from God.

How does this timeless truth impact our parenting? Believing parents should ask, “Do I trust God with this child?” This is more important than our decision on how to administer a proper time-out.

But there is much to fear as a parent, so much of our parenting is fueled by it. More must be fueled by trust in God. We need to lean on him in every area of our lives, including our parenting.

For instance, we might ask ourselves, is there an overemphasis on me and what I must do for my child? Do I under emphasize God’s ability, His sovereign work in the life of my child?

Do I believe this child will fall apart unless I am a perfect parent? Many put this pressure on themselves. We forget, we’ve seen fine adult children come from less than stellar parents. God can work in spite of us.

Now, I write and teach for parents often. I do believe there are best practices for us to engage in. Still, we must search our hearts. Do we trust the Lord?

Do I believe God can sovereignly reach into my child’s life, just as He did mine? I mean, think about it. You love the Lord. You want to walk with Him. I know my parents told me of Christ, but I fell in love with Him because of Him.

He opened my eyes. He revealed Himself to me. It was all Him. I had my road to Damascus moment, and it was Jesus on the other end of that light, not my mom.

But we forget this. We think if we make all the right moves then our children will become God-lovers. But we cannot make them believers. We cannot make them successful in life. God will use us, but God must work through us.

Trust God. Lean on Him. He lives.