How do you instill the hope of God’s Word in your children’s hearts when they live in a hurting world?
Perhaps they are dealing with the aftermath of academic pressure like struggling with the pressure of homework, exams, or high expectations. Some kids are facing social challenges like bullying, peer pressure, or difficulty making friends. While others are exposed to family changes and problems such as divorce, separation leading to foster care or living with another caregiver, financial struggles, and parental conflicts.
If your children are struggling to remain hopeful through trials and tribulations, take heart. Here are some ways you can encourage them to hope in God’s Word despite whatever they are facing.
Lead by Example
Our children are constantly watching what we say and do. One of the best ways to encourage our children to place our trust and hope in God is for them to see us do it. When appropriate, talk with your children about ways you hope in God’s promise despite whatever might be happening in your life.
Model spiritual disciplines like regularly praying, engaging with God’s Word, and asking your child to join you. Attend church together, emphasizing its importance in connecting with God and His Church. Another big way to lead by example is modeling the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As you go about your day, the fruit of the Spirit empowers you to connect better and help your child overcome stress and trauma.
Engage with God’s Word Together
When you’re having some easy family time together, spend a few moments in God’s Word interacting with age-appropriate Bibles for your children that encourage us to place our hope in Jesus. A fun way to integrate this in your day-to-day could be to write these verses on index cards and place them around your house as constant reminders of God’s providence.
YouVersion and OneHope, strategic partners of HopeConnect, offer two of the leading digital platforms to help your children, from preschool age to pre-teens, engage with God’s Word: Bible App for Kids and Kids Bible Experience. Parent resources are available on Bible App for Kids and pre-teens are invited to use this curated content Kids Bible Experience on their own or with their parent or a trusted adult.
Meditate on God’s Promises
The Bible is full of promises about how God will restore all things and the good gifts He will bestow on those who placed their faith in Him. Encourage your child to meditate on these things. Just like they can be excited for Christmas or birthday presents, they can be excited for the gifts God promises to give them one day!
At dinner or just before bedtime, share some of God’s promises with your children — a new earth filled with beautiful trees, a world without sin and a time when nobody will cry anymore. Activate your child’s imagination and encourage them to think about how wonderful that new world will be one day. To heighten your time together, enjoy HopeConnect Everyday Moments, sharing and thinking about the Scripture verse found in each activity.
Find Evidence of God Today
Scripture tells us that God has revealed Himself through His Creation, so spend some time looking for Him in your world. Take your children out to watch an early morning sunrise together or spend some time walking through a local park.
Observe patterns in nature such as the branching of trees or the veins on leaves. You can also have fun as creation detectives, observing things in nature that God made and sustains. See if you can find Him in the faces of your neighbor or in a beautiful flower. Along the way enjoy Bible verses that highlight God’s creation such as:
- In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (NLT)
- The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalms 19:1 (NLT)
- I am the one who made the earth and created people to live on it. With my hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at my command. Isaiah 45:12 (NLT)
Our Heavenly Father promises to reveal Himself to those who seek Him.
KEY TAKEAWAY
This life is full of trouble — Jesus promised as much. However, we can instill hope in our children (and ourselves!) by constantly remembering who God is, what He has done for us and the promises He has made regarding our future.
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” ~James 1:12 (NIV)
APPLICATION
So much of our lives are filled with waiting. The next time you find you and your children in between activities, play Hear, Here. This easy game helps us connect with the world around us, while also reminding us God hears everything we say to Him, too.
Find this game and more now in the Everyday MomentsTM activities collection!
Written by Co-Authors Joel Ceballos & India Amos
