Let the Holy Spirit do His work

Letting the Holy Spirit do His work is a topic I've been pondering for a long, long time. As a mom, I want to be sure my children follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. But if I never give them the chance to experience His leading, how can they learn to follow?

Let me explain. I know parents who micromanaged every detail of their children's lives, down to the color of the clothing they wore. As the children grew, the parents continued to keep very tight control over every aspect of their lives, in the name of protecting them from the evils of this world. The children were accustomed to having someone else make decisions for them - simple ones like what clothes to wear today and difficult ones like which college to attend.

When they finally became adults and branched out on their own, they had no one telling them exactly what do to. So guess what they did....they dove headfirst into every kind of sin imaginable! Was it rebellion in their hearts all along that caused them to go down those paths? Possibly. But it very well could have been that they'd never been given the opportunity to rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit themselves. They'd never listened to that still, small voice because Mom and Dad drowned Him out with their own leading.

How can we expect our kids to exercise discernment if we discern everything for them? Sure, we need to set guidelines for them as they grow. We need to teach them to obey and respect us. But we also need to let them develop a reliance on God's guidance so when they're away from us, they make wise choices.

I know it's hard to relinquish control. But I have to let the Holy Spirit do His work in their lives. He alone can convict and lead. I can advise, pray, and set a good example. It's quite possible that they might make different choices than I would. But if they're sincerely following after God, I have to trust that His Spirit will lead them to where they need to be.

But man, it's not easy. Help me too, Lord!