Turning to God (Like Our Children Turn to Us)

(This is an edited transcript of “Turning to God (like our children turn to us),” Episode 3 of The Carpool Line Podcast. This podcast from Family Christian gives moms a few minutes to connect with God so they can better connect with their families. Here’s how to listen.)  

As moms, our children turn to us for comfort. I’ve been thinking about that a lot this week. Well, that and the guilt so many of us moms feel about taking time away from our children to receive comfort from our Father. The two are surprisingly related.  

But, First, Let’s Look at Our Children 

They crawl into bed with us at 2am when a thunderstorm rolls through or a nightmare startles them awake. OR they yell for us from their rooms and we stumble half asleep to their sides. They lean in for a hug when they are hurting from a pain we can see or from a pain that bruises their hearts. 

Our children share with us what matters to them. They offer us that perfect rock they found on the playground or those plucked wildflowers (which are really weeds) you know the ones that their tiny sweaty palms slightly crush as they offer them up to us and say in their sweet little voices: I picked this for you.  

And they invite us into their rooms to tell us about their day, whether it’s who was chosen as line leader, how they did on a test or what new game they played during recess.  

Our children look to us for how to live. They see how we respond to happy or stressful or fearful situations and mirror our actions and words. For better or for worse. They follow our lead in how to treat and talk to (or about!) others INCLUDING how we talk about ourselves.  

And not once do our children feel guilty about making time in their day to connect with us. To receive comfort from us. To learn from us. To be in a relationship with us. Not once. 

It doesn’t even cross their minds to feel guilty about turning to us at all hours of the day, for comfort, for wisdom, or simply just to be close to us as their parents. And we wouldn’t want them, too, either. 

Jesus Turned to the Father

You know who else didn’t feel guilty about turning to His parent for comfort: Jesus.  

Jesus took time to be with His Father. To turn to Him for guidance. For wisdom. For comfort. For rest. He did this at all hours of the day. Regardless of how much work He still needed to do. Regardless of how many people gathered around Him with their needs. Jesus put spending time on His relationship with His Father first.  

And not once does Scripture record that Jesus felt guilty about taking time away from His followers to do it. Not a single time. 

So, moms, why do some of us struggle with feeling guilty about taking time in our days to connect with our Father? To seek Him out? To lean in for comfort? To learn from Him through His word? To tell Him about our day? To rest with Him? To do all of the things that create a strong and healthy relationship? You know all those things and situations we want our own children to turn to us for? Why do we feel like we are somehow neglecting our kids or being selfish if we make time to rest and connect with our Father each day?  

Why do so many of us feel like spending time with the Father needs to come AFTER we take care of everyone else first? 

That’s not what Jesus did. 

Guilt and Spiritual Warfare

Can I make a suggestion? Feeling guilty about taking time to be with the Father can be a form of spiritual warfare. Satan knows that if he can distract you from spending time with God with guilt then it directly impacts both you AND the children God placed in your care. 

But when we learn to recognize guilt for what it is, it loosens its grip on us. When we choose to stop feeling guilty and make the decision to spend time with our Father whatever it looks like in this season – to be comforted by Him, to share with Him, to tell Him about our day, to learn from Him how to live – He provides us with all we need, builds our family on solid ground and gives us rest in the process. 

Just like we do for our own children. 

Psalm 127 tells us that “unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those He loves.”   

Our roles as mothers—YOUR role as a mom—means nothing apart from God. God wants to lead you. God wants to comfort you. God wants to be in a relationship with you…all the way down to the tiniest details of your life. Scripture even tells us that the God in Heaven bends down to hear your prayers…just like you bend down to receive that plucked flower from your child. 

The Father wants you to turn to Him for comfort and guidance because He knows you need it and flourish when you receive it from Him—just like your children need it from you and flourish when they receive it. 

2 Easy Ways for Moms to Turn to God for Comfort

As we wrap up this episode, I am going to pray over you. But, first let me leave you with two simple ways to put this into practice as a mom and a question for you to think about this week. 

Let me start with the question: How have feelings of guilt about taking time away from your family gotten in your way of spending time with the Father?  

Ask the Lord to help you follow Jesus’ example to put Him first and actively seek Him throughout your day. Release any feelings of guilt you may experience when seeking time alone with your Father. 

And those two simple tips? The first one is literally to keep it simple. Release the ideas about what a quiet time is supposed to look like or even what it used to look like for you before becoming a mom. Your child doesn’t choose to seek you out only when they have a day with an extra 30 minutes of alone time to fill. They seek you out throughout their day: when they are hungry, scared, hurt, bored, lonely, happy, can’t find their other sock. You are the first person they call for…and God wants to be the first one YOU call for too. 

And the other tip: Put Psalm 5 into everyday practice. Psalm 5:3 reads: “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” 

Before your feet hit the floor in the morning, turn to God. Ask for His help to lead you through your day…and wait in expectant faith knowing that He will always show up when you call. Just like you do for your own children. 

A Prayer for Spending Time with God

Let me leave you with this Prayer about spending time God. I invite you to take slow, deep breaths as I say these words. Feel the presence of your Father bending down to hear the whispers of prayers from your own heart: 

Father, help us to overcome any guilt we feel about wanting…no…needing to spend time with You…time spent seeking your comfort, your wisdom, your guidance. We know we need You but sometimes we feel like we don’t have time to step away from our own children and step into the arms of You as your children. Lord, we ask you to help us grow to be more like Jesus by going away to a quiet spot to connect with you…even if it is just sitting in our cars in the carpool line. Thank You for always coming when we call, no matter what time it is or wherever we are.  

Amen. 

(This is an edited transcript of “Turning to God (like our children turn to us),” Episode 3 of The Carpool Line Podcast. This podcast from Family Christian gives moms a few minutes to connect with God so they can better connect with their families. Here’s how to listen.)  

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As a writer and speaker, Lisa’s heart beats for encouraging women, supporting parents in their role as a child’s first and best teacher, and pointing people to Jesus. Lisa lives in north Atlanta, with her husband of 25+ years, Clay, and their two daughters, Emerson and Ellery.  To learn more, follow Lisa on Instagram, visit her website or order her devotional, Simplifying Rest.