Weaning the Soul
But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:2
Children who are being weaned—toddlers—need lots of training. As His children, our Father teaches us many of the same vital lessons for “growing up in Him” (Eph. 4:14-16):
1. Use your words. God wants us to express ourselves productively! Rather than sulking and stomping our feet in a spiritual tantrum, He asks us to cry out to Him with all our needs, our hurt feelings, and our fears (Phil. 4:6). This state of humility and child-like faith allows God to work in our lives (1 Pet. 5:6-7).
2. You can trust me. Let’s put an end to our spiritual “separation anxiety.” Just as mothers promise to pick their children up from Sunday school, God promises that He won’t forget us or leave us, either—and He’s coming back! (Is. 49:15, Josh. 1:5, Rev. 1:7).
3. Be patient. Once they are weaned, children learn that it’s okay to wait for a minute or two while Mom or Dad sees to their needs. We, too, must learn to trust God and wait for the good things that He has for us (Ps. 27:14, Col. 1:10-12).
4. Play well with others. Children are selfish by nature and must be taught to think of others. For the sake of His Name, let’s leave behind our selfish and prideful ways and show kindness to one another (Eph. 4:3-5, 25-32; 1 John 4:20-21, Gal. 6:2; Phil 2:1-4). His love in us is our witness to the world (Phil. 2:14-16, Is. 43:12)!
5. Say “thank you.” We teach young children gratitude. That’s an important lesson for children of God, too! Do we thank God for all that He has done and continues to do for us? Gratitude in all things and at all times will absolutely change our outlook on life (Jam. 1:17, Phil. 4:4, 1 Thess. 5:16-18, Heb. 12:2-3).
6. Get some rest. Toddlers have to be taught to make healthy choices, like taking a nap. We must discipline ourselves to get enough rest to meet the demands of a busy day. Even more then physical rest, we need plenty of rest for our souls, which can only be found in our Savior (Matt. 11:28-30, Ps. 23:2-3).
7. Obey right away. Our children obey out of a strong foundation of trust. Jesus Himself is our foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), and we can trust Him. He commands us to share His love with boldness based on our faith in His authority and power (Matt. 28:18-20). When we overcome our obstacles to obedience, we experience God’s faithfulness!
Abba Father, thank you for being a perfect parent to your children (Rom. 8:15-16). Help me to become more child-like in humble faith and prompt obedience to you, my God, that I might honor and glorify your Name.
Jennifer