Can I be honest? Growing up in a Christian home is foreign to me. Sure, if you asked my family if we believed in God, we would have said yes. But follow Jesus? That’s something different, of course. But my kids will know what it means to grow up in a Christian home. And while I’m thankful for this (that will be another article), I also wrestle with fear because of this.
Why am I fearful? Well, I’ve seen plenty of people who grew up in Christian homes grow bitter toward their faith, the church, their parents, and God. The reasons have come in all shapes and sizes. I’ve witnessed plenty of kids grow up and never own their faith for themselves. And I don’t at all want this to happen with my kids.
Fears I Have For My Kids Growing Up in a Christian Home
Will my kids get it? My prayer is that they will see that God loves them tremendously and infinitely. What I’ve discovered to be true is what I so badly pray they discover too: A life following God is the best life anyone could live.
Will my kids grow up learning about God, but never discover the awe and wonder of God? My prayer is that they will never grow comfortable with what they know of God. He is knowable. He is also incomprehensible. And we need both for a healthy faith.
Will my kids see that God is enough? My little girls have a world around them that will assault their self-image at every turn. They’ll be sold at every corner a solution to their imperfections. My prayer is that they will know that they are beautiful no matter their blemishes. My prayer is that they will see their imperfections as part of their beauty, not as qualities that take away from it. My prayer is that they will discover that in a world full of desires and full of promises that will never deliver, God is more than enough.
Will my kids love God and His Church? My prayer is that they will see Christ’s love for His Church, for which they are a part. My prayer is that they will see that despite the brokenness within the Church, God is still at work among and in His people. Surely they will be hurt by someone in the Church at some point. My prayer is that the hurt won’t drive them away.
Will my kids grow up with gratitude that they were raised with Christ at the center of everything? My prayer is that they will see our daily prayers, our daily Bible time, and everything in between as sources of gratitude. My prayer is that we will serve God together with a passion that only He can give.
The Fear
With each of these questions, I wrestle with the fear that the answer will be no. I know I can’t stay there – in fear – but it’s certainly something that Sara and I have on our minds. We want to show them Christ and His love for them.
Our hope is that over time, we show them Christ through our daily journey of following Him. They’re on this journey with us. God’s got this. God’s got them. They are His, after all.
God is bigger than the fears I have for my kids growing up in a Christian home.
A Question for Those Who Grew Up in a Christian Home
If you grew up in a Christian home, what do you remember from your childhood that drew you closer to God? What has your journey been like? I’d love to hear your answer(s) in the comments below.
