I Have Tried That, It Doesn't Work For Me

Old Journal Entry:

“I have read books and heard people speak, and say something like “wake up early in the morning before your children to spend alone time with God.” I have tried that, but it doesn’t work for me. Ari is two now, and shortly after he was born I started praying with him. I prayed as if he wasn’t there, but held him in my arms. I like that my son can see, even at his young age, that our relationships with God may look differently, but that is just what it is, a personal relationship with God. Praying while my son is playing with toys beneath my feet, he is in my arms, or while I can hear the clatter of toys in the other room has never hindered me getting ahold of God. In these circumstances God has spoken directly to me, has given me visions, and has changed my life. I am thankful that I get to experience all of these moments with my son right beside me, showing him just how real our God is.”

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I had just written this journal entry after reading in another book the importance of getting up before your children in the morning and praying. Once again, I began to feel like my relationship with God may not be as “good” as others because it didn’t look like theirs. That is just the thing. It isn’t another's relationship with God, it is mine.

I remember the first couple of weeks that my husband was home after quitting his full time job in technology and we went into full time ministry. I was used to him getting up way before me and having his prayer time before work and in the evenings after I was in bed (I need a little more sleep than him haha), which I slept through, and we kept a similar schedule on the weekends. We also had a larger house and weren’t really near each other the same way we were in a 29 foot RV. Whenever he was home those first couple weeks in the RV and he was having his prayer time with God, I quickly realized that his prayer time looked nothing like mine. He is quiet, I mean VERY quiet. Myself, well, I like to pray where I know the devil hears me. The devil is gonna know he is defeated, and God is going to for sure hear me. I remember thinking at times, Is my husband really even praying? I mean, he is so quiet. However, I know that my husband hears from God, so I am going to go with he is for sure praying. Ok, jokes aside.

My son, although most of the time is near me during my prayer time in the morning, will go with my husband while he prays too. He knows we are both having time with God, even though it looks completely different. I like that my son can see the differences between my husband and myself during this time. Before bed time we have family prayer time. I hope that one day my son realizes that no matter what it may look like, the most important thing that he will ever do is have a relationship with God. That is one of my daily prayers.

You may feel like in order to have a good relationship with God that you need to get up at 4am and stay up after your child in the evening, that is great! Your circumstances may be different from mine. However, for me, in this season of life what is best for my family is having my son in my arms, sitting beside me, at my feet, or playing in his room right next to me. It is my relationship with God, and you have yours. God chose me to raise the son that He blessed me with, and God chose you to raise your children. Your relationship with God doesn’t have to look like mine, and mine doesn’t have to look like yours. We are each responsible for creating a culture and the atmosphere in our homes, and showing our children how to have a relationship with God. Consistency is key. Children thrive off of consistency, and really we all do.

Take the pressure off of yourself today to be like those around you. Don’t compare yourself. God didn’t call you to be like the ones around you. He wants your authentic self and to have a relationship with you whether that is at 4am when your children are asleep or at 7am when your children are awake. He chose you to raise your children. No matter what season of life you are in, whether you have children or don’t, I hope that today you are encouraged to pursue your relationship with God, however that may look. Set up a meeting time and place with Your creator, and He will meet you there.