After completing the Effective Listening Self-Evaluation and totaling your score, list by priority the areas you need to change.
-
Now review What Love Is and Is Not from Week 3: Day 2 – Day 5 of your workbook and list by priority any unbiblical communication habits you have been practicing in your home. Pray for God’s grace and strength to change these.
-
If you believe that you have not been demonstrating loving communication to your children (or a particular child), I strongly recommend that you follow the steps below to reconciliation.
- Confess this to the Lord and ask Him to forgive you for not communicating love to His child/children.
1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
- Ask God to fill your heart with renewed love for your child/children.
Romans 5:5, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
- Go to your child/children and make an age-appropriate confession. For example, “I love you, but I know that I have not been showing you that love with my words. I have been very impatient (unkind, etc.) and I need to apologize. Please forgive me. I love you and I am so glad to be your mom/dad.”
-
Pray with your child.
Write out a prayer of commitment to seek the Lord for His power to change these areas and become the parent that God desires.
