Heavenly Father,
Hallelujah what a Savior!
I'm thinking about those nights, the one that parents know. The ones where we'd finally get the kids settled, lights off, door cracked just right, nightlight set, and then hear it: "I'm scared."
So we go back in. Sit on the floor next to their bed in complete darkness. Not reading, not talking, not doing anything productive. Just being there. Sometimes for five minutes, sometimes for an hour. Our presence the only thing standing between them and whatever monsters their minds had conjured up.
Here's what I'm learning from you Father, You do that for us. You sit with us in the dark rooms of our souls, not because You have to, but because You love us. When anxiety grips our boys' hearts, when failure stings, when the future feels overwhelming, You're here.
For my sons, I'm asking, help them understand that Your presence isn't always loud or obvious. Sometimes, like a mom and dad sitting in their dark room, You work most powerfully in the silence. When they feel alone in their struggles, with friends, with purpose, with faith itself, remind them You haven't abandoned them. You're the God who sits in darkness with His children, not because You must, but because You love.
Give them eyes to see what we learned in those midnight moments, love often looks like simple presence. Strength sometimes means staying still. The most powerful force against fear isn't explanation or argument, but the quiet assurance that they're not alone.
Holy Spirit, be to my boys what I try to be in those dark rooms, the Comforter who needs no words, the Peace that makes no sense, the Presence that makes darkness lose its power. When they're too old for me to sit by their beds, when they face battles I can't fight for them, be their constant Companion.
And Father, help me trust what I witnessed in those sacred, dark moments, Your presence is enough. Forgive me when I think I need the right words, the perfect solutions, the brightest light. Sometimes the most Christlike thing I can do is simply stay present, patient, and full of love.
I know I can't always fix what scares them. I can't remove every threat or answer every question. But I can show up. And in showing up, I can point them to You, the God who showed up in flesh, who knows darkness, who felt abandoned, yet promises through His Spirit to never leave us.
So when my boys grow up and face their own dark rooms, the kind that come with adulthood, with marriage, with being dads themselves, may they remember. May they know in their bones that they're never alone. That somewhere in the darkness, their Father is sitting quietly, lovingly, powerfully present.
This is my prayer, in the name of Jesus, who Himself knew what it meant to cry out in darkness and find His Father there.
Amen.
"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me." - Psalm 23:4
🥊 THE FIGHT PLAN
When your kids are scared at night, don't just rush to turn on the lights or explain away their fears. Sometimes, sit with them in the darkness for a moment. Let them feel your presence before you fix the problem. Then remind them, and yourself, that this is what God does for us every single day.
Quick housekeeping:
Bible study through John will continue on Mondays moving forward
Mid week post will become more frequent
More devotional and prayers to come on Saturdays to send us into the weekend