I am in a battle. Some days it is more than I can handle, and I feel like giving up, throwing in the towel, or just screaming. Maybe you are in the same battle. There is a full-out war forged by the enemy to take our children from us. Satan does not want our children following the Lord. If they have made a profession of faith early in life, he will use his cunning tactics to ruin their testimony so they cannot point their friends to the Lord.

 The fight drains me of everything I have. Day in and day out, trying to pour into someone who doesn’t want to hear what I have to say or even spend time with me. I feel I am losing the battle, and that is what the enemy wants. If I am honest, most days I want to wave the white flag, pull the covers over my head, and stay in bed. When I feel overwhelmed, and nothing I am doing seems to help, I turn to fill my cup with things that may comfort me temporarily but eventually cause more harm. More often than I should, I give in to hedonism, watching TV, doom-scrolling, or over-busying myself so I don’t have to think. I find my cup is overflowing, and what is pouring out is anxiety and depression. Now I am right where the enemy wants me. How can I help others when I am in this dark place, too?

When we fill our cups with things that are temporal, it is inevitable that we will burn out and become depressed or anxious. We need to empty our cups and allow God to be the one to fill them. How do we do this? First, we must put on the armor of God, as we see in Ephesians 6:10-18. If we are not reading the Bible and praying, our faith will become weak, and we will be unable to protect ourselves from the enemy’s attacks on our family and us.  We need to turn to God when we are struggling, not to our phones, TV’s, or even our friends. God tells us in 1 Peter 5:7 to “Cast all our anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” We are not alone; God wants to help us. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” When we allow God to fill our cups rather than the world, anxiety and depression are replaced with joy, peace, and abundant hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I don’t know about you, but I choose joy, peace, and hope any day over depression and anxiety. Sometimes I know taking the steps to follow through is difficult. You may need a trusted friend to be your accountability partner. The task to raise our children to love the Lord in a world that wants to steal them is daunting, but with God’s help, we can do it. We cannot give up or give in. Just like a soldier in battle, we must stand firm, prepared for the attacks to come. Because they will. Our children are worth every sacrifice to protect them from the enemy. Get behind me, Satan, you cannot have my children!

Is there something you need to give up to be a more effective and present parent? Do you need to make more time for prayer or to read your Bible?