Answers … that is what I feel like is so much on the heart of those that are parenting children who have endured early child trauma. We hope we can find that answer that will help a child stop lying … or that answer that will fix a child from food hoarding … or I wish my child could overcome ________. This road many times does not have “fix all” answers for those that are walking it. It is another reason why I continue to be encouraged and amazed by the parents walking this journey.
Our pastor joined us last Friday night in our adoption support group at my church. It was so nice to have someone come, listen and encourage those in the room. He, no doubt, doesn’t understand personally what each family goes through, but the words he brought were timely and spoke as though he did know. God gave him the words to share … and my hope is that all were encouraged through it. Pastor Roger shared about perseverance and the difference between perseverance and endurance. Endurance is having the ability to power through something hard knowing the end you have in sight … like, for instance, a marathon. You can run knowing with each passing mile you are closer to the finish line. Perseverance, on the other hand, is continuing to power through never knowing when or if the end will come. That is the road of parenting children from early trauma. You power through, all the while truly not knowing when or if you will ever reach the finish line. Actually, likely you will not reach what the world would call a finish line but you continue on anyway running the race God has called you to.
For those of you on this road … please be ENCOURAGED! Your perseverance is a God-given trait that you can receive in increasing measure from Him! 2 Peter 3-8 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Are you trying to endure … or persevere? With endurance can come much frustration when you don’t reach that finish line like your expectations tell you that you should. Think of perseverance today … this is a God-given trait to sustain you on this journey. It isn’t given by itself, but as seen in this verse, it is given along with first seeking Christ through faith. I also would encourage you become involved in a support group surrounding yourself with others on this journey!
