It’s so easy to focus our efforts on the things that give us quick results. It makes us feel like we’ve accomplished something. As if our work was not in vain. Clean dishes. Beautiful hair. A child reciting their math facts. A well-behaved kid. High SAT scores. A good job.

But think about it.

Do we want quick results or lasting results?

When we work for the things that do not last, we actually end up hurting ourselves in the long run. Or we could pay a price now, so that we reap a harvest later.

Like the farmer, we must be willing to work hard now knowing that one day there will be a harvest.

So with our children, we must parent them with an end goal in mind.

It helps to remember that what we see today, tomorrow or even next year isn’t  the final result. It may look as if our efforts to show our children unconditional love and acceptance have completely failed. Believe me. I feel this way often. It may seem as if our efforts to teach our children is useless.  So often it seems like I’m just not getting through.

Yes, there are days when I see glimpses of fruit from my labor, but those days are often followed by days disappointment.

I won’t lie. I struggle often. In fact, there are many times when I feel as if I have nothing to offer you– my readers. I’m completely unqualified to tell anybody how to produce children that fulfill their life’s purpose.

But I can point you to the God who is able.

I’ve experienced His “able-ness” in my own life.

I’ve experienced His “able-ness” in the life of my children.

So my work is simple, but not at all easy.

My work is to believe.

To believe that He can take my feeble, imperfect efforts and accomplish something beautiful, good and perfect.
To believe that He is working within the heart’s of my children(and mine, and my husband’s and those I serve) accomplishing His magnificent plans and purposes.
To believe that there is no mistake that He cannot correct and bring good from it.
To believe that He is readily available to give me wisdom, power and every thing I need in order to love my children.
To believe that when it looks like nothing is going on, something is going on.
To believe that when life is falling apart, God is accomplishing something perfect and good in our lives.

He’s at work within my children’s hearts.

And I’m completely convinced that He’s at work within each of your hearts.  So I press on.  I continue to believe.  Even when life seems hopeless, I hang onto hope.  Like the farmer who plants a seed and sees no fruit for a loooonnnngggg time, I trust that someday I will see a harvest.

So I will not become weary in doing good, because at the proper time, I will reap a harvest IF I DO NOT GIVE UP. Think about it.  The farmer who gives up too soon, will miss out on the harvest. No matter how much work he’s done in the  past, if he gives up too soon, he’ll miss out on the harvest.

I do not want to miss the harvest that comes from living a life of lavish love, and I know you don’t want to miss it either.

We have no control over whether or not our children (or husbands) cooperate with our plans. We have no control over our children’s thoughts. We have no control over what they enjoy.  We have no control over the crises of life that we face.  We have no control over the economy. Or the weather. Or our children’s friends. Or their teachers. Or whether or not they get a virus from someone.( No matter how much hand sanitizer they use!) Or … a myriad of other life circumstances.  We’re not in control!

But we do have the power to choose to believe God’s promises to us.

Let’s not waste time and energy worrying about things we can’t control or feeling guilty about real or perceived mistakes.

Dear friend, do not give up.  Don’t stop believing.  Don’t stop loving and doing good. Do not stop praying.  Do the real work.

Believe.

Have you found that believing and persisting in believing is hard work?  How do you keep believing when you want to give up?