Helping Our Kids Find Purpose

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How do we decide with our kids what they do with their lives? How do we decide what sports they play, what instrument they learn, or any of the other myriad of extracurricular options available today? How do we determine what their grade standards should be and how involved they should be in church?

What if we put those requests before God and worked together with our spouse—if applicable—and our kids to get His direction?

Here are some ways you can learn to hear from the Lord about activities:

• Is your child passionate about it? Do they genuinely want to do it?
• Will the activity help your child learn how to build character by having to work hard at something or being on a team?
• What kind of commitment does the activity require? Will you have margin in your life if you add this activity along with the others?
• Does the activity keep you from doing something better?
• How do you feel about it in your spirit?

The key here is not to go through the motions but to really talk about the choices with your child, your spouse, and with God before you commit.

This practice will help you make wiser choices about the activities and the standards in those activities for your kids. It promotes family discussion, seeks God's guidance, and considers the impacts carefully.

Involving your children in this discernment process teaches them to be intentional about their commitments and to pursue things that align with their passions, abilities, and priorities. And most of all helps them to hear God’s voice in everything they do.