LISTEN ONLINEMy seven-year-old son, Toby, is having a hard time at school. His class is full of ‘characters’, he finds it hard to concentrate with all the noise, and he gets caught up in a lot of group punishments. He’s struggling to make friends, and his anxiety is only increasing. “Can I move to another school, or just do homeschool, like in lockdown?” he asks.
Do we start pursuing more drastic change? Or simply keep supporting him from home? Could there be a middle ground? And what will today’s decisions lead to?
This emotionally charged situation is forcing me to slow down and absorb some wisdom: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Here we recognise that our own understanding isn’t enough. We can’t truly foresee even a single outcome. Instead we’re invited to “submit to [God]” who does see the way ahead. Crucially, “He will make [our] paths straight” (v. 6).
The Bible is not silent when we’re unsure about what to do. “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord” (v. 7). Admitting my weakness to the One who loves Toby even more than I do is the best thing I can do today. If you feel uncertain, relief is not found in taking immediate action, but in surrendering the way ahead to God and asking Him to lead in His wise timing (v. 8).