God never promised His children an easy life. Jesus told his disciples "In the world you will have tribulation." (John 16:33)...But what about our children?
We can't keep them in a safe little bubble forever. They will feel the effects of sin just like the rest of us. If they have come to faith in Christ, they will not be exempt from the suffering of the people of God.
So if we can't protect them, perhaps God will intervene. The situation will be reversed and it will be a win-win for everybody. The trial will end, and God will get the glory.
But sometimes our prayers are answered very differently. He chooses to glorify Himself in their perseverance instead of their deliverance.
This is harder to watch than going through yourself. My natural instinct is to step in and save my daughter from those heart-level hurts, but I can't shield her from hard providences.
God loves her too well to let her rest on her mom's faith. I can tell her of my Ebenezers, but He wants her to plant her own and say, "hitherto the Lord has helped me." (1 Sam. 7:12)
Lessons about His goodness, sovereignty, and unfailing love can't be learned by osmosis but can only be learned first hand and often in the valley. Don't we want our children to say, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." (Job 42:5)?
So I will still pray with her, for her, and strive to give godly practical counsel. I will point her to what God has said about Himself in His Word. But I'm learning to let go and entrust her in greater ways to her Father's care.
I'm just her mum and her sister-in-Christ. I'm not supposed to be her saviour. She already has one, and His name is Jesus.
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