My family loves to go backpacking. We prefer hikes in areas where we can view God’s creation in all of its pristine glory. We savor these quiet and beautiful ventures, but we always take along our cell phones in case we encounter something unexpected. Sometimes, though, our hikes are so remote that no cell service is available. When that’s the case, we turn off our phones to conserve precious battery power. If we don’t turn them off, they will do what they are designed to do: they will continue to scan radio frequencies for signals from nearby towers until they find one they can connect to. This process of searching and attempting to connect over and over consumes significant battery power. If the phone searches long enough, it will completely deplete its power and eventually die.
As the parent of a Goer, I often try to find security in gathering as much information as possible about his whereabouts, his team, his schedule, and his safety. I assume if I can just control all of the variables–even from afar–I can keep him secure. I imagine that if I can read enough news about his country, if I can schedule a regular FaceTime call, if I can remind him to eat well and get lots of sleep, I won’t have to worry so much and I will feel less restless about his life so far away. These self-imposed routines help for a while, but just when I feel like everything is predictable, all of my carefully-constructed guardrails fall apart: governmental tensions arise, the internet goes down, and he gets Mono and has to stay in bed. Such is life here and abroad.
When we try to find peace by arranging our lives, or the lives of our kids, so that nothing bad will happen, we will be greatly disappointed when our arrangements–and our rest–crumble around us. All of this searching will deplete our energy until we are so exhausted, we just want to give up. Our world is broken by sin. It can never provide us with the refuge we crave. It makes promises of ease but in the end, it disappoints every single time.
If we keep trying to scan the circumstances of our lives to find a place where we feel completely settled, we will never connect to true peace, because peace isn’t found in our ability to control all things; peace is found in Jesus. When we make our homes in Christ, we find a sure and solid foundation. When we put our hope in what He has already accomplished in our place, we don’t have to worry about being in control. When we make His promises–instead of the state of the world or the safety of our kids–our anchor, we gain peace, not anxiety, because He promises to never change. Not yesterday, today, or tomorrow (Hebrews 13:8).
St. Augustine said, “You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” If we, as wise parents, choose to trust that God is in control and loves our kids more than us, we will be able to connect ourselves to the right source of Power. Proverbs 18:10 promises, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected.” If we direct our minds to God’s strong tower, we will find life, not death.
No more frantic searching. Our restless hearts have found their Home.
Parents of Goers 