Relationships in HD: Parenting
Day 1 – From Slaves to Sons
Galatians 4:4–7; 1 John 3:1–3
Galatians 4:4–7 (NKJV)
4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
1 John 3:1–3 (NKJV)
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
When Paul writes that we are no longer slaves but sons, he is showing us the very heart of God’s plan in Christ. Adoption is not automatic—it is the gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. God does not merely pardon us as guilty offenders; He welcomes us as beloved children.
Think of the contrast: slaves serve out of fear, but sons rest in the love of their Father. Parenting begins with grasping this truth for ourselves. If we see God only as a taskmaster, we will parent harshly. But if we rest in our adoption, we will mirror His grace and truth in the way we raise children or disciple others.
Workout: Pause and say aloud, “I am no longer a slave, but a child of God.” How might this change your approach to those you lead or parent today?
Day 2 – The Father Disciplines His Children
Hebrews 12:9–11
Hebrews 12:9–11 (NKJV)
9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Discipline is not the opposite of love—it is one of its clearest expressions. Proverbs shows that to “train” means to develop character through consistent instruction and practice. Hebrews reminds us that discipline “yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness.”
As parents, mentors, and spiritual leaders, we must see discipline not as punishment for punishment’s sake, but as shaping hearts for holiness. Our heavenly Father disciplines us “for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.” He corrects not to push us away but to bring us closer.
Workout: Where have you mistaken God’s discipline as rejection rather than love? How can you reflect His training spirit instead of reacting in frustration with your own children or those you mentor?
Day 3 – Do Not Provoke Your Children
Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21
Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV)
4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21 (NKJV)
21 Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
Paul gives fathers (and mothers) this sharp warning: “Do not provoke your children.” Harsh or inconsistent discipline, broken promises, sarcasm, or impossible expectations crush the spirit instead of shaping the heart.
The goal is not to force children into our mold but to point them toward God’s authority. As Robert Utley observed, “There is always a generation gap, but never a divine authority gap.” We are stewards, not owners, of our children’s souls.
Workout: Ask yourself—when I say “no,” is it for their good or for my reputation? Pray that God would show you where you may be provoking rather than training, and confess that to Him.
Day 4 – Disciplined by Difficulty
2 Corinthians 12:7–10; James 1:2–4; John 9:1–5
2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (NKJV)
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
James 1:2–4 (NKJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
John 9:1–5 (NKJV)
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Sometimes God’s discipline comes not through direct correction but through difficulty. Paul’s thorn in the flesh, the man born blind, and James’ call to rejoice in trials all remind us that pain is not always punishment. It is often the classroom where God forms us.
God uses difficulty to bend pride, to cultivate patience, and to display His glory. The sting of discipline is meant to shape, not destroy. As Paul learned, “When I am weak, then I am strong.”
Workout: Reflect on a trial you’ve faced recently. Instead of asking, “Why me?” ask, “What is God shaping in me through this difficulty?”
Day 5 – Sometimes It Has to Sting for It to Stick
Proverbs 13:24; 19:18; 22:6
Proverbs 13:24 (NKJV)
24 He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Proverbs 19:18 (NKJV)
18 Chasten your son while there is hope, And do not set your heart on his destruction.
Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
The sting of discipline changes as children grow. Early on, correction may take physical forms. Later, the sting may be the challenge of responsibility, the weight of consequences, or the discipline of hard tasks. Even God forces us to do difficult things—not to break us, but to strengthen us.
If we spare the sting, we risk raising children who never learn that actions have consequences, or that love sometimes says “no.” God’s love is firm, but it always aims for restoration.
Workout: Where in your life do you need to embrace the “sting” God has allowed so that it may “stick” and produce lasting fruit? In parenting, what difficult but loving step do you need to take for your child’s growth this week?