The father of godly children has cause for joy. What a pleasure to have children who are wise. So give your father and mother joy! May she who gave you birth be happy.

Proverbs 23:24-25

Dear God, I read verse 24 and instantly felt the pressure of a parent. I immediately asked myself if my children were godly and judged myself accordingly. But then I read verse 25. That verse flipped my perspective and put the pressure on the child. “So give your father and mother joy!”

I feel a great dichotomy within myself when I think about my parenting. On the one hand, I cannot count or enumerate all of the mistakes I have made and continue to make. And on the other hand, I have no regrets when it comes to my effort as a father. I can say with confidence that I gave it and continue to try to give it my best shot, and that includes praying for my children and trying to continue to be appropriately involved in their lives as adults.

Father, help me to move beyond the self-condemnation I experience when it comes to my parenting. At the end of the day, I am fortunate to have two very smart children who have the right to live their lives, make their choices and learn from both their good and bad decisions. I trust in you that the prayers I send up to you for them reach you and you take note of them. I have faith that their lives might not be problem-free (no one’s is), but they will ultimately glorify you. Also help me to surrender any of my personal hopes for them that are built around stoking my own ego. That isn’t fair to them and it isn’t healthy for me. And it is disobedient to you because your plans for them are not mine. The truth is, if Jesus’ earthly father Joseph had been my son I would have been very disappointed in how his life turned out. What a fool I can be.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen