I watch a lot of things around us but one thing I am noticing is many parents are not modeling purpose for their kids. This question came up in our life group in a study we are in called “Grace-Based Parenting”. Really awesome study if you want to dig deeper on helping yourself parent in a Grace-filled way.
The great thing was, that question from the study got me to thinking on my answer and it just so happens that last Friday night I was on stage telling our marriage story in from of a group of people at Unstoppable Faith Conference and we had Lil Chris with us. He sees when I speak because hes been there every time. Marriage ministry mixed with our story is mine and my wife’s purpose. We have no doubt about that and Lil Chris is a part of that.
I couldn’t have timed that any better since that was one of the study questions. When I see many parents they are so focused on their careers that they are not actually living their purpose that God called them too. In fact they are just busy doing what they feel is right to support the family but God called us to more than to just have a career.
Yes there are some careers that are people’s purpose but for the most part thats not the case. If that’s you, do you teach your kids what you do and why it’s important to God and humanity? You have to model purpose for your kids through your marriage so that your kids can know what going after God’s calling really means.
We don’t have much right now but there is one thing I believe we are doing right and that is modeling the calling of God. Sandy and I have been on this journey for a while and although the calling is only beginning to start to come to pass, we have believed for years that God called this into our marriage.
Many people believe that God has a calling on people and we do too BUT we also believe that once two people marry, God has a specific calling for the marriage that the two of you are supposed to pursue. You may already know what that is or it may takes you years to figure out but when you do, you will have have something to talk about with your spouse. Purpose brings many conversations.
Many people are trying to make their career their purpose when God may be telling them to make their purpose their career. We are not at that level yet but we are working towards that even with this blog. We write about marriage, we talk about marriage. I am starting to speak at smaller conferences about marriage and soon Sandy will be speaking with me. We are writing a marriage book. We are following where we feel God is leading the two of us together and the day will come when our calling becomes our career too.
Your kids need to see you do that. They need to see you pursue the calling that God placed on you and also see you bump into road blocks too. They need to see that it isn’t easy but it will be worth it.
Look at David, He was told he would be King but from the time he was told that until the time he was actually King was many years. I think like 15 or something like that. If God told you your calling, would you go 15 years without seeing it come to pass but still pursue or would you quit? Sadly many people know their calling but they give up too soon. God needs to make our hearts completely right before the vision comes to past. We have to go through some junk on that journey.
For Sandy and I God, told me on Dec 26th, 2007 that we would have a marriage ministry, write books and speak in front of people. Back then I didn’t really believe because of where our marriage was at that moment. For those of you don’t know the story, Dec 26th, 2007 was the day that God told me he was healing me from 19 years of addictions and I have been living in that healing since.
Look at the picture I chose, Lil Chris is watching us. Remember, your kids have a front row seat into your marriage. make it a powerful one!
So the question you have to ask yourself, are you modeling just a career or are you modeling a calling?
Living an Inspired Marriage,
Chris Benton
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