Lenten Devotional
By Julie Burroughs

Scripture Reading:

Philippians 4:6-7,

Have no anxiety 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 passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Reflection:

A lot of parenting involves learning patience.  When my son was an infant and toddler, he instructed me in patience through battling sleep.  I held him, rocked him and sang to him, but if I were not completely relaxed, he sensed it, would not relax and postpone sleep.  I had to not only take time to hold, rock and sing, but I had to have patience with him through the process.  This patience could not be faked.  He could always tell when it was not genuine.  Impatience crawls under the skin and seeps out somehow, revealing a missing inner peace no matter what the face attempts to show. 

Parenthood is one of the most anxiety-ridden roles in life that comes to my mind. The worry related to it can be so oppressive. My child can be quite accident prone. He has had a concussion from a mere slip on wet pavement in our driveway, and he once shut his thumb in a door jam, resulting in losing his thumbnail, bleeding that was difficult to stop, and a chipped bone.

So, what did I do for personal peace and genuine patience in such challenging parenting moments?  I pray.  I breathe deeply and clear my mind as best I can.  When singing, I sing Christian music, focusing in on the words.  I move my mind from other distractions and busyness and instead count my blessings.  All of these are forms of prayer. Whatever forms you use, pouring out in conversation with God releases anxiety and realizes peace.

“Have no anxiety about anything” sounds like the perfect “get out of jail free” card when it comes to worry. Of course, just like you have to draw that card in a game of Monopoly, you have to take action to have no anxiety. Think about how thankful you are in a game of Monopoly to pull that “get out of jail free” card out of the deck. That is when to be thankful, at the moment of prayer.

Prayer:

Lord, Please grant me self-control to practice techniques for patience in those situations where impatience likes to creep in and steal my peace. Remind me of the blessings I have. Thank You for always hearing and answering!