Instilling a Hope-Filled Future
Scripture
Mark 10:14
“When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."
This is from the book, The Dad Blessing on how to bless your child. There are specific steps involved in giving your child a blessing. Today I want to focus on “Instilling a Hope-Filled Future.” Gathered around Jesus was a group of children.Jesus blessed these children by letting them know they had a very special future, and that God had a unique plan for their lives. As part of the kingdom of God, they had the greatest possible future. So does your child when your child is saved. Dad, that responsibility rests primarily on your shoulders.Let your child know that he or she has a great future. Encourage them that God has a special purpose for their lives. He has something great in store for them when they follow God’s will. Communicating that brings your child hope. Your child is constantly bombarded with negative messages. Counter that by letting him or her know that nothing compares with God’s amazing plan for their future.Here are 5 Ways to Instill a Hope-Filled Future
- Go over Jeremiah 29:11 with your child and encourage him or her to memorize it. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God has given this promise. Encourage your child to claim it as his or her own.
- Underscore the fact that God has a special purpose for his or her life. That’s why it is important to walk in God’s will. Only in God’s will can he or she experience God’s promise.
- Encourage him or her on how to discover God’s plan for their life. Teach your child how to discover God’s will by using God’s Word and how God uses prayer, circumstances, people, the Church, and the presence or absence of peace to guide them specifically.
- Give them examples of how people can miss God’s plan for their lives. Use personal illustrations to show how even Dad has missed it at times.
- Help them to understand that most of God’s plan for their lives is found in the Bible, God’s Word. Encourage your son or daughter that God’s Word is the only Book Whose Author shows up every time you open up its pages.
Your child needs to hear from you, “You have an incredible future as you walk in the center of God’s will.”