Perhaps one of the greatest aspirations that a parent can ever pursue is to train children who will grow up to become godly, who will be firm in their trust and who will live with a lot of character.
Raising godly children does not entail being perfect, but it entails leading by example, instilling the values of the bible, and setting a conducive atmosphere where faith can flourish. It could be a challenging journey but it is also a very rewarding and effective journey in influencing the generation to come.
These are some of the fundamental values and disciplines that can assist you in bringing up godly children.
How to raise Godly Children
1. Lead by Example
Children are very impressionable and they tend to copy the conduct of their parents. You need to lead by example to ensure that your children grow up as godly people. The things that you do, say, and even decide should be the things that will create the faith in them. Here’s how:
Live with Integrity: be honest, kind and fair in your daily life. Demonstrate to your children that your faith is not only limited to Sunday mornings by letting them see that your faith is incorporated in your daily activities.
Example is modeled: pray and read the Bible on a regular basis in front of your kids. It presents them with the idea that faith is not only a component of church but it is also a continuing aspect of one life.
Forgiveness and Grace: Be gracious with others and be forgiving. This aids in children learning the lessons about importance of extending mercy, just as God does to us.
Living a holy life would automatically inculcate into your children the need to live a godly life that lives in the will of God.
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2. Teach The Word of God to them
Godly living is based upon the Word of God. It is very important to introduce your children to the bible and bible teachings, as a way of making them comprehend what they need to practice as values in their lives. Just follow these hints in order to make Scripture a part of your everyday life:
Read the Bible; Regularly take time to read the Bible with your children. Select stories and verses that fit the age of a child, and read them together.
Learn the Scripture: Teach your children to memorize Scriptures. This allows them to internalize the word of God and remember it when they are in a need to be directed.
Talk of Biblical Principles: When challenged or deciding on matters, resort to the Bible. Demonstrate to them how the principles in Scripture are applicable in real life.
The greater the exposure of your children to the Word of God, the higher is the possibility of the internalizing the Word and practicing what it teaches.
Related: How to Teach Kids to Write
3. Promote Frequent Church-Attendance
Connection to a church community can aid in reinforcing what is being taught at home substantiating these values. Church attendance will enable your children to learn the worship of God through other believers and later learn to become strong in faith. The following are tips to prioritize church:
Assist in Worship Services: Make a plans with your family to go to church regularly. Regular church attendance makes church part and parcel of life.
Make the Child Engaged in Church Activities: Ask your children to attend church activities, teen groups, and volunteer work. Such activities assist them in establishing friendships and their religious maturity.
Teach them to value Fellowship: Show your children that church is more than a place where you go to show up and participate in services, it is also a place that is full of individuals with the same faith and people who support and motivate each other.
A vibrant church community keeps your children on track with faith and develops spiritual growth.
Related: How To Teach Your Kids To Pray
4. It is Crucial to Establish Clear Boundaries and Discipline with Love
Obedience in child rearing is a matter of concern. The Christians find answers on how to love, respect, and discipline their children in the word of God. This is how to discipline in a godly manner:
Set clear expectations: Tell your children what to be expected of them as regards behavior. Be clear on the regulations and punishment of violating them.
Discipline with Love: It is only when one disciplines in love that pointed out in anger, will give way. My time can be attributed to explaining to them why the misconduct was the wrong decision and to ensure they make the right decisions in future.
Discipline and Grace: A child needs discipline, but also it should be an opportunity to express grace. Restate to your children that God loves them and forgives their sins and he should make everything right with whenever he has hurt others.
Safe disciplining builds the character of a child but when it is done out of love it builds a spirit of respect and maturity.
Related: How to Make Your Kids Listen
5. Install a Heart of Service
Godly children do not only think of themselves, they know the value of serving others. It is a vital aspect in raising godly children that one teaches his/her children how to serve others in need and how live like a servant. Here’s how:
Family Volunteer: Be a volunteer or do something such as jobs at a food bank close to home, clean up areas in the community, or visit the sick. This shows how value comes with giving back and assisting others.
Be Kind Discuss how to care about others with your children and treat them thoughtfully. Train them to seek opportunities to be of assistance to others and to be very kind to those that might be less fortunate.
Model Service: Be a model to others through the service you give them, be it family, friends or society. Your kids will emulate you.
Heart of service will enable kids to have a clear picture that being godly means that you love others and that you live to make others good.
6. Pray to and With Your Kids
Prayer is one of the best means of getting closer to God and helping your children to learn how to get deeply into contact with God. Include prayer as a common feature, and as you nurture your children teach them to go to God in every aspect of their life. Here’s how:
Pray Together Each Day: Praying should be one of your everyday activities. Before and after eating, before bed, in times of need. This establishes a prayer culture at home.
Teach Them to Pray: Demonstrate to your children how they can pray, allowing children to express gratitude, longings and worries to God. Also encourage them to pray individually.
Pray For Their Future: Invest time in prayer specifically asking God to bring about their futures, their characters, their relationships, and their relationships with God.
Family prayers will enable your children to understand the need to consult God in all aspects of life.
7. Develop an Attitude of Thanksgiving
Another main point about how to live a godly life is being thankful with all the blessings of God. Training your kids to be grateful will enable them concentrate more on what they have and not what they do not have. These are ways of fostering gratitude:
Be Thankful All the Time: Teach your children to be thankful to the things that they possess, their surroundings and the gifts that God has given to them.
Gratitude Journal: Have your kids draw up a gratitude journal where they can jot down the things that they are grateful about on a daily basis. This breeds a favorable attitude of gratitude.
Practice Model Gratitude: Be grateful at home as well. Appreciate others and thank God because of his blessings.
An appreciation attitude causes your children to mature in contentment and godliness.
Questions and Answers on Training Godly Children
1. What can I do to ensure that my kids do not lose their faith when they mature?
Support the free sharing of faith, keep availing opportunities to develop it, and be a role model. Be interested in their lives and pray over them.
2. What do I do when my child is in turmoil with his/her faith?
Be tolerant and non-judgmental. Be encouraging and make them realize that they are free to ask questions. Bring them back to the Word and pray and ask God to reinforce their faith.
3. How can I train up my children to make godly decisions?
Talk about the value of the bible, lead by examples and give them advice when they encounter choices. Make them appreciate that the Word of God is a compass on how to make wise decisions.
4. How can I parent a defiant child to church or faith practices?
Be consistent with your personal practice of faith, patient and continue praying. There are times that the resistances may only be temporary and your continued example may bring them back to church and faith.
5. What can I do to get my children to read the Bible?
Begin with family-reading and interpretation of the passages meanings. Keep it interesting and familiar to them, and make it clear that they can grow and read the bible in their own way.
Bringing up godly offspring is a process that will be an active one throughout our life and it demands tolerance, affection, and uniformity.
Teaching and modeling your children with the biblical values, instilling the atmosphere where the centrality of faith, will allow anyone to utilize the steps in helping your children to be firm in faith and realize their lives as honoring God.
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