“I”m so stupid!” my nine-year-old says, after he misses a note on his fiddle we’ve been practicing over and over again. “Why can’t I do this? I’m a big idiot!”
I know he can hit the note, because he has before. I also know that his emotions are running away from him quicker by the second, so in a moment of wisdom I say, “Let’s take a break” and pull him into my arms to remind him of a few things I think he’s forgotten. I need to make the truths of the Bible come alive for him in this moment, so he can fight the lies and have the victory.
How to Make the Bible Come Alive for Your Kids
I’m not really a “name it and claim it” kind of gal. But I do believe the word of God is true, and I want to teach my boys to believe the same thing and let their lives be proof of their belief. The other day, as I listened to my nine year old call himself names, it dawned on me that he didn’t know who he was. Or rather, that he didn’t know about the qualities imparted to him just because he’s a child of God.
The truth is, my son is struggling with that one note. Sometimes, he gets it right, sometimes, he doesn’t. When he doesn’t, he feels ashamed, and shame makes his heart believe there’s something wrong with him.
And it’s in those moments, the ones where shame fills our hearts, that the enemy comes in and sees a weak spot to attack. He does it with us as adults, and he does it to our children, too. If we choose to embrace his lies, our emotions will spiral out of control in a downward motion. But we have a choice. We don’t have to allow his attack to take over and fill our heads and hearts with all the negative, self-abusing thoughts.
Instead of allowing the enemy to name us, we can claim the truths found in God’s word.
Here’s what I mean…
God’s word says He’s given us “not a spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7). That means we don’t have to be afraid, we are strong, we can love, and we can think—controlling our choices and our emotions—because He’s given us the power to do it. Speaking these truths and refusing to believe the lies of the enemy has the power to transform our entire mood, giving us the victory, and taking us from shame and frustration to thanksgiving.
Our children, too.
Mamas, they need us to teach them how to use the word of God so it makes an impact in their lives and changes their hearts.
My son might feel comforted when mama tells him he’s not stupid, but how much more powerful is it for him to speak these truths from God’s word over his heart in his weak moments:
I am not afraid.
I am strong.
I can love.
I can think.
My words can comfort his heart. God’s word can change it.
This is not just simple psychology—replacing negative self-talk with positive self-talk—this is the living, breathing word of God in action, “piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)! With God’s word as our tool, we can help our children learn to fight the fiery darts of the enemy from a very young age, overcoming by simply knowing who God says they are.
FREE PRINTABLE!
I asked my friend Alle McCloskey, of Finding Eden Media, to create a printable of the image above for all of us so we can use this verse to make the truths of God’s word come alive in our children’s hearts. Just click on the link below to download yours for free. Frame it, and hang it in your children’s room so they can remember who God made them to be. Teach them what it means and help them say it over and over again when they’re struggling. The next time they’re tempted to believe they’re stupid, or are facing fear, the temptation to act out of weakness, be unloving, or lack self-control, they’ll be armed with the truth.
I am not afraid. I am strong. I can love. I can think. (<<—Click this link for your free printable).
**Having trouble making the Bible come alive for yourself? Here are some tips just for you!
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Thank you so much for this article today. My 10 year old is going back to school in a week after being home schooled for the past two years. He wants to go back to school and be with friends however, he is very scared and anxious thinking what if kids don’t like him or wheter he will find bullies at school. No matter what I said the fear is still in his heart. This article is helping me to help him! I am reading this to him this morning and hopefully by the grace of God he will remember this bible promise that God will be with him always and he feel at peace more and more. Thanks again for this morning blessing!