Good morning from the “Sunshine State” of Florida!
Yesterday, Michelle and I caught an early flight, made a connection in our nation’s capital, and eventually landed in Florida. Unfortunately, when we touched down, it was raining—and it hasn’t stopped since!
While I’m hoping we eventually see some sunshine, the rain hasn’t ruined our plans. We’ve got books, a comfy Airbnb, and a whole week ahead of us to relax.
I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time to collect a few thoughts to share with you next week. But until then, here are two things from last week’s study that challenged me. I hope they’ll encourage and challenge you, too.
On What Shapes Our Thinking
If I told you that what shapes your thinking eventually shapes your living, you probably wouldn’t fall out of your seat praising me as the next great thinker of our day.
We know it’s true. So why do we live as though it isn’t?
We all know that what we eat affects our health. Yet just a couple of hours ago, I stopped by Casey’s and picked up a greasy slice of pepperoni pizza and half a can of Pringles.
(I did get a Coke Zero because I’m serious about my health. lol)
Here’s my point: It’s easy to ignore what we know is true when we don’t feel the immediate consequences.
I wonder how often we do the same thing with our minds.
We fill them with news, opinions, worries, and endless distractions, then wonder why we’re struggling to find peace and perspective.
In Colossians 3, Paul challenges believers to set their affection on things above. Later, he tells us to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly.
He’s reminding us that what occupies our minds matters.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping up with the world around us. But we shouldn’t allow the world around us to become the primary influence within us.
What shapes our thinking eventually shapes our living.
It’s when we anchor our minds on Christ and His Word that we find stability to navigate the pressures of life.
What I’m carrying:
Be intentional about what shapes my thinking.
Lest They Be Discouraged.
Parenting is one of life’s greatest joys, but also one of its scariest.
These little humans grow up trusting us to teach them how to navigate life and protect them as they stumble through it.
Good parents care deeply about how their children turn out. But that concern can create a pressure that, at times, feels unbearable.
And sometimes our fear of failing as parents leads us to the very mistakes we’re trying to avoid.
Some parents, afraid of losing their children’s affection, take a hands-off approach, allowing them to do whatever they want with few rules and little accountability.
Others, afraid their children will rebel, tighten their grip, piling on rules and leading with an iron fist.
Both approaches can leave children discouraged.
There’s a phrase at the end of Colossians 3:21 that stuck out to me last week:
“Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.”
Here, Paul wasn’t simply warning fathers not to make their children angry. He was warning us against parenting in a way that causes our children to lose heart.
Imagine a child convinced that nothing they do will ever be good enough. Eventually, they may simply stop trying. Maybe even withdraw.
So what is a parent to do?
In Ephesians 6:4, Paul gives fathers another instruction: to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
Nurture involves the ongoing work of training, educating, and disciplining our children. It’s helping them develop habits and character that will serve them throughout their lives.
Admonition involves instruction, counsel, and sometimes warning. It’s helping our children understand not only what is right, but why it matters.
Nurture and admonition aren’t weapons to wield against our children. They’re responsibilities we’ve been given to help shape their hearts.
Our goal goes beyond raising obedient children. We’re preparing them to walk faithfully with Christ, and that requires God’s grace and faithfulness in our own walk with Him.
Parenting comes with pressure and fear, but God doesn’t expect us to figure it all out on our own.
Even as we’re raising our children, our Heavenly Father is still raising us.
What I’m carrying:
The hearts of my kids are too important to ignore God’s pattern for raising them.
Thanks for reading this week!
I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of what we allow to shape our thinking. And I’d love to hear from you.
Is there a book, a passage of Scripture, or even a conversation that’s had a meaningful influence on your life lately?
Hit reply and tell me about it. I’d enjoy hearing from you.
Have a great week!
Brad