May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Most of us long for peace and this is certainly true for families with a loved one enmeshed in the legal system, in jail or prison or trying to rebuilt after release. There is so much fear for safety, for the future, for the effects on the family, for what happens when the loved one reenters the free world. But one constant in all that fear is the we have no authority over these things!
For me, this is one of life's greatest challenges: what is beyond my ability to positively impact and what is wholly in God's care?
This is really crucial to consider for many reasons: when we get them confused we spin our wheels and waste resources better committed elsewhere, but worse we damage our own health and reduce our ability to actually put our energy where it will do some good.
This is part of why I praise God for the guidance, discernment and love that was given me when I was dealing with all this. Did I get it all correct: Absolutely not and still today I struggle with these issues, but I could be confident both that God was helping me every day and that when I did not get it "right" God was still in authority over my incarcerated child and nothing I could do would change the wonderful, amazing and reassuring truth.
My prayer for you today is this: God of all creation, thank You for Your tender care of my loved one and of me and of all the lives touched by this challenge. Give my child and I discernment to recognize and welcome the people You send to minister to us, witness to us, instruct us and comfort us by the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
Most of us long for peace and this is certainly true for families with a loved one enmeshed in the legal system, in jail or prison or trying to rebuilt after release. There is so much fear for safety, for the future, for the effects on the family, for what happens when the loved one reenters the free world. But one constant in all that fear is the we have no authority over these things!
For me, this is one of life's greatest challenges: what is beyond my ability to positively impact and what is wholly in God's care?
This is really crucial to consider for many reasons: when we get them confused we spin our wheels and waste resources better committed elsewhere, but worse we damage our own health and reduce our ability to actually put our energy where it will do some good.
This is part of why I praise God for the guidance, discernment and love that was given me when I was dealing with all this. Did I get it all correct: Absolutely not and still today I struggle with these issues, but I could be confident both that God was helping me every day and that when I did not get it "right" God was still in authority over my incarcerated child and nothing I could do would change the wonderful, amazing and reassuring truth.
My prayer for you today is this: God of all creation, thank You for Your tender care of my loved one and of me and of all the lives touched by this challenge. Give my child and I discernment to recognize and welcome the people You send to minister to us, witness to us, instruct us and comfort us by the power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
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