Perseverance in Parenting

Perseverance in Parenting

“Perseverance in parenting is not so much one long race, but rather a series of short races connected together.”

Six years ago, I ran a half marathon—13.1 miles through downtown Phoenix into Tempe. I had read all the training books, followed all the tips to prepare, and felt confident to face this challenge. With music and refreshment at each mile, this difficult race turned into a series of one-mile runs, 13 to be exact! Each mile had its own challenges; the first six miles, for instance, were certainly different from the final seven, especially in relation to the amount of energy I had in reserve. This half marathon is comparable to the challenges of parenting because both require perseverance in order to finish well. Parenting must be accomplished in stages, with one stage leading to the next. Each stage has its own challenges, surprises, disappointments, and victories. The key to each stage is your persistent resolve to trust God and your unrelenting commitment never to give up, no matter what. If you are constant in these things and take your parenting responsibilities one stage at a time, then you will finish strong with your children. Here are two key passages that demonstrate perseverance:

The first passage comes from a letter Paul wrote to his fellow Christians in Philippi during his last days of life on earth. In this passage, Paul was not occupied by his past failures or successes; he was only focused on what he could do for the Lord at that moment and into the future. In your parenting, you need to have this same attitude; that is, not to be overly consumed with past failures or dependent on past successes.

Philippians 3:12-14—“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

In the next passage, Paul speaks of running a persistent race for God by presenting the Gospel to as many as he could during his lifetime. This is what Paul regarded as winning the race. You need the same winning persistence with your children; that is, to do all you can to nurture and mature them to be wonderful sons and daughters of the Lord. And winning means you never give up, but persevere through every circumstance thrown in your path or your child’s path.

1 Corinthians 9:23-27—“I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

So don’t give up! Parent your children one stage at a time with great perseverance so you will be able to look back with joy on the race you ran as a parent. 

Hebrews 12: 1-3—“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”