Teaching Kids Perseverance

Our family is potentially facing a few months of change. Driving home from flute lessons the other day, my eldest daughter, being ever perceptive as she is, asked me “why do things need to change? I like things the way they are. It’s not fair.”

I did my best to listen to her fears, asked her what was worrying her the most, and then, not wanting to give her a “Dad answer”, we listened to U2 up really loud all the way home. Later that evening it got me wondering, how do we best teach our kids about perseverance? How do we help them face hardships and times of trial in their lives, particularly when they are young and see most life-changes as trials and hardships. The book of James in the Bible says:-

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Why does God allow difficulties in our lives? How can I encourage my kids to deal with these trials and hardships. James gives two answers.

1. Trials ought to be received with joy, for out of them something good develops - perseverance. And as perseverance grows, God matures and develops my character so that I am “complete, not lacking anything”.

2. Wisdom is needed as the gift from God in order to perceive & receive trials in this way. So my kids and I should be asking God, regularly for the wisdom to see things his way; to understand and receive trials and hardships joyfully, knowing that in and through them, God is making me complete.

Over the coming couple of weeks I hope to share more with you as I read James and try to learn, along with my kids, to be joyful in the face of trials as God grows us in perseverance. Pray with me that God would give us wisdom to see trials and hardships his way.

Before I go, what about you and your kids? How have you encouraged your kids to persevere in the face of trials?