Focusing on the Heart: Teaching Our Kids to Ask God for Help

Do you ever feel like you’re having the same discipline conversation with your kid on repeat? The anger, the unkind words…it all keeps coming back. These moments can teach our kids something bigger than “make better choices.” So, how do we. help them turn to God for help and learn that following Jesus isn’t about being perfect but about knowing we don’t have to figure it out alone?

What do you do when your child keeps struggling with the same thing?

Maybe their struggle is anger. Or lying. Or being selfish or disrespectful. You’ve talked about it, corrected it and given consequences. You’ve had the same conversation so many times you could recite it in your sleep! 

And yet… here you are again.

It can be so frustrating. But these moments can also be a chance to teach our kids something really important: we all need God’s help.

We don’t want our kids to think that being a good kid is simply about trying harder. Of course, we do want our kids to try harder and to care about their behavior. But following Jesus is so much more than good behavior – it’s about what’s happening in our hearts and understanding our hearts need God.

When things have calmed down and everyone is in a better place, talk with your child about what they’re struggling with. You might say:

“I know you’ve been having a hard time with this. I mess up sometimes, too. You know what helps? Asking God for help. When I just can’t seem to get better with a behavior that I want to change, I know that I can go to God and He will help me.”

Then, pray together.

It doesn’t have to be long or polished because simple is often best. What matters is that your child learns that they can be honest with God and what’s going on inside. 

“God, I’m having a hard time being kind to my brother. Please help me know how to be kind to him even when I get irritated with him”

“God, I keep getting angry. Please help me slow down, take a breath and make a better choice.”

These simple prayers teach our kids something they will need for the rest of their lives: they can’t fix everything on their own but they can turn to God for help.

And this is something we can model, too.

Let your kids hear you say, “I really need God’s help with this.”

Let them see you pray when you’re frustrated and let them hear you ask God for forgiveness when you mess up. Let them see that following Jesus doesn’t mean we have it all together. 

Because none of us do. 

 

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