They say that when you have one child, you are a parent, once you have two or more, you are no longer a parent because you are already a referee. And I very much agree! As a parent of three, my foremost duties apart from being the homecook, tutor, and nurse is being a referee. In our house it is always a 1 vs 1 or a 2 vs 1, and so whenever I lose all the strength to mediate, and stop sibling squabbles, I bring the matter before the Great Judge, the Best Referee of all — our Heavenly Father.
As our All-knowing God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace — our Lord is perfectly capable of resolving every conflict possible. And so it makes all sense to bring every matter before Him — fights, cold shoulders, clamming up and shutting downs, and rivalries.
“For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; He will save us.” Isaiah 33:22
Sometimes, I find myself praying all by myself asking the Father to give me strength to parent, and objectively answer questions about my fairness when sibling fights arise. I write page upon page in my journal seeking God’s wisdom in raising my children and in facing the daily struggles of parenting. I also ask my prayer group to pray for me as I navigate different motherhood challenges. More importantly, I rally my children every night to pray for peace within our home, so that the squabbles will be minimized, hearts will be more forgiving, and minds will be more open.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
And so when I unashamedly cry to ask for God’s help in becoming the referee in our family, I remember one good mom in the Bible — Hannah. Hannah sought the Lord’s help and blessing so much that as she poured her heart out to Him, the priest mistook her for being drunk. But her utmost dependence on the Lord was rewarded, because after years of barrenness and heaven-storming prayers, the infertile Hannah became a mom — and a mom of the last judge and the first prophet of all Israel.
“Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.” Then Eli answered, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.” 1 Samuel 1:16-17
Hannah’s story inspires me to bring every parenting matter in my heart before God, because He always listens. His ears are upon the cries of His people. And so when we feel like we are exasperated already in mediating over fights among our children, or when we are in a deadlock in an argument with our spouse, our own siblings, friends, or workmates, we should not think twice about taking the matter before the Lord.
Let us pray for His guidance, and let us solve the matter from God’s perspective. We seek His wisdom. Practically this means we continue to spend time in prayer and Bible reading. We ask advice from Godly elders and God-given friends, and try our best to keep an open mind and heart. When we ask God to mediate for us, He will definitely show up and give us His peace.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 1 Samuel 1:8-20 and James 1:5-8 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Who do you run to when relationship conflicts arise within your family or your friendship circle? How can a loving relationship with the Lord help you resolve relationship issues?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for being our Prince of Peace. Thank you for assuring us that when we come to you, you will guide us on how we can get past relational difficulties in our life. Amen.