A Prayer to Trust God with Your Children
By Victoria Riollano
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.- Romans 8:38-39
I will never forget when my daughter started to have seizures. A child who had been in perfect health her entire life, at the age of four, was hit with a daunting diagnosis, epilepsy. Questions filled my mind daily. Would she ever be able to drive? Would she be on medication her entire life? Would she be treated differently? I wondered how and why God would allow this. I rationalized in my own mind the cause of what seemed so unfair. Perhaps, it was my own sin that caused this upon her or maybe I had upset God in some way. Although deep down I knew this wasn’t God’s punishment, I couldn’t help but want to get a final answer from God.
During this time, there were many sleepless nights. I worried that at any time her next grand mal seizure could end in death. The fear of losing her overtook me, causing me to be anxious, depressed, and distant from the others in my life. I had made up my mind: my daughter would not die on my watch.
Yet, after years of frustration, the Lord spoke to me something very clear, “I love your daughter more than you ever could. Will you trust me?”
I had never considered this before. Yet, the more I started to pray and seek Him, the more He revealed His undying love for my daughter and myself. Not only did He love her, He knew everything about her. Before she breathed, her first breath He was there. Who she would grow up to be and her inner thoughts; none of them were a mystery to Him.
Psalm 139:14-16 says it like this: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.
No part of my daughter’s story was a surprise. She was never abandoned or forgotten by Him. In fact, He knew her the sound of her cry before I would ever lay eyes on her. What wonderous love!
The moments I truly embraced the love of the Father for His children I was able to release control. My years of depression and sleepless nights have since dissipated and God continues to show His grace. So much so, that after ten years of medication, my daughter is now completely healed, with no signs of seizures! Truly God is good and constantly reminding us of His heart, even when we can’t see His hand.
In the moments when we feel overwhelmed by circumstances with our children, we must remember that He loves them more than we ever could. His plan for their lives was well thought about while they were still in the womb. Our role is to run to Him for guidance on how we can love His children better. There is freedom and victory in recognizing that God is their Father, above all.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:38-39
Let’s Pray:
Dear Lord,
I thank you for those you have given me the privilege of nurturing. Although it comes with much responsibility, help me to never forget that you love them more than I ever could. Father, if there are times I become obsessive or overwhelmed by the circumstance, I ask that you give me your peace. Show me, Lord, how to surrender my parenting to you.
I thank you Lord that you are a good God. Even when I don’t understand why, help me to trust your heart for me and my child. Teach me to walk in faith and courage, even when its hard. Thank you for your love for me and those you have entrusted me with.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Victoria Riollano is an author, blogger, and speaker. As a mother of six, military spouse, Psychology professor and minister’s wife, Victoria has learned the art of balancing family and accomplishing God’s ultimate purpose for her life. Recently, Victoria released her book, The Victory Walk: A 21 Day Devotional on Living A Victorious Life. Her ultimate desire is to empower women to live a life of victory, hope, and love. She believes that with Christ we can live a life that is ALWAYS winning. You can learn more about her ministry at victoryspeaks.org.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
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