Ridiculously Awesome Ways To Communicate Support
/“Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will give you strength, and for sure I will help you. Yes, I will hold you up with My right hand that is right and good.”
The Struggle
Bob and I sat on our weekly FaceTime call with our oldest daughter, Moriah as tears rolled down her face, as she recounted another distressing interaction with her boss. Her younger boss lacked managerial skills. Moriah was hardworking, competent, but her boss micromanaged her every move. Every creative decision she made was questioned. This left Moriah crushed and disappointed in her circumstance.
Moriah flourished in academia, maintaining her 4.0 GPA and received a fellowship for Graduate School. She was esteemed by professors when she received her Masters In Creative Writing. She spent months searching for creative writing jobs in her metropolitan area. With no experience, companies wouldn’t take a chance on her, so she was forced to get a retail job to pay her bills.
The pandemic and continued frustration with not being in a field she loved, left her heartbroken and disappointed in herself and her dreams for the future.
It wasn’t our job to fix, solve, or carry Moriah’s situation. That was her job. Our role was to support her.
We listened well and encouraged her to be responsible to work so she could pay her bills. It’s no small feat living in a large city by yourself, as the cost of living is outrageous. We pointed out what she was doing well, and reassured her to keep fighting to find something new. And she did.
How To Communicate Support
We will all experience tension as our grown kids navigate hardship. They may experience health issues, occupational distress, financial trouble, heartbreak in romantic relationships, or mental health concerns. How we communicate to our children in this season will have a lasting impact.
Instead of rushing in to rescue, we rely on this truth from God’s Word. “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will give you strength, and for sure I will help you. Yes, I will hold you up with My right hand that is right and good.” Isaiah 41:10 In the crushing God is at work, but we must allow our kids to experience this for themselves.
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