Prayer Changes Children
Posted on January 15, 2007
Filed Under Christian Living
Prayer Changes Children
by Dr. Terita Gusby-McCauley
“That ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I shall hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.-Jeremiah 29:12-12”
We often find ourselves in situations of hopelessness when our children have chosen the wrong friends, wrong places to go and wrong things to do. As parents and caregivers, the ultimate approach to finding help is to ask someone who can be a good listener and problem solver. It is also advisable to do our homework and be careful who we ask. If there is a parent you know who is presently having problems with raising their own children, this person would not be a candidate to assist you in your dilemma! It doesn’t matter what the situation is, God already knows.
For those of us who have already established a consistent prayer life, it is time to raise the bar for different results. For those who do not have a consistent prayer life, then the time is now to begin opening up the lines of consistent communication with the Father. God is the author and finisher of change. You can’t possibly go about doing the same things you’ve in the past and expect to get different results. It is necessary that we change the ways in which we do things when the old way no longer is working. What does that mean? It means that sometimes a situation has to make us so uncomfortable that we have no other choice but to change. How foolish would it be to continue wearing the same shoes even after they no longer fit us even though when we first bought them they fit.
The best way to establish or increase one’s prayer life is to commit to doing it one day at a time. Anytime you begin something new, there is always going to be a shifting of people, places and events around you. There are going to be distractions put in your way just as you begin to pray. Seeking God first thing in the morning is always a simpler time to devote to Him. It does involve sacrifice. God is seeking parents who are willing to be consistent and faithful in communicating their needs to Him. We often use God as we do the yellow pages. We look for Him only when we need something at that particular time. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 the bible tells us that we are to pray without ceasing. This means that we seek God not just when times are bad but we constantly seek Him.
If you know that your child has a bad temper which usually gets him into trouble, you’re not suppose to wait until he gets into a fight before you pray. Pray now. Let’s learn how to become “proactive” to the wiles of the devil. You know that your daughter is involved in sexual activity, you pray now regarding her behavior and not wait until she gets pregnant. If your child steals and you know it because he has taken money from you, then it is just a matter of time when you are going to become embarrassed of him stealing from someone else. Use the information that you already know to engulf your prayer and conversation with God.
Prayer is communication with God. Even though He already knows the situation, He wants you still to come to Him in prayer. With every prayer, God opens up more and more opportunities to help our children. When our prayer life changes, so does the behavior of our children. When we seek Him, He changes the atmosphere and the story no longer remains the same. I dare you to trust God. I implore you to seek Him to save your child and the children of others. He’ll do it, just trust Him.
About the Author
Dr. Terita Gusby-McCauley was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. Her many travels allowed her to be educated in Missouri, and Kansas and then spend a bulk of her university teaching in the state of South Carolina. She has taught on various levels from elementary to high school as well as in the area of special education. She has done extensive research and developed programs for at-risk male youth “Back On Track,” as well as a parenting series called “All The Kings Horses.” Her infinite ministry and aspiration is to one day open a residential facility for troubled male youth to re-establish their purposes and guide them to personal safety and future successes.
Related Posts
- A Word About Prayer for Parents and Children Alike
- Leaving a Legacy of Prayer
- How Do You Spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S- for Your Children?
- Children of Incarcerated Parents: Helping the Silent Victims
- The Miseducation of African American Children
Comments
Leave a Reply
