God’s plan for taking care of children is to have a mother and a father together. Now when one parent is missing, God doesn’t abandon the one that is still there. He is faithful, present and we can count on His help. He promised it.
(We’re talking to single women here because it is more common, but the same advice also applies to the men that raise their children alone.)
In the evening when we’re exhausted and the youngest refuses to sleep, when our patience is running low, it’s reassuring to have our partner. So what can we do when we are all by ourselves?
We turn to God. “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.” (Psalm 68.5 NKJV) This verse clearly shows that God is near to those who have no one to help them. A divorced woman is not a widow, however, the father is not at home and the effect is the same on the child. He may not be an orphan in the legal sense, but when he spends the night with only his mom, he is “fatherless” that night. Here, God promises to be present.
When the child wakes up in the middle of the night, why does the father tells the mother: “Keep sleeping, I’ll go”? Because he loves his wife and wants the best for her. Now, if a man loves his wife, how much more does God love the mother! If there is no spouse in your house, you can turn to God, and He will give you the support you need. It’s more than likely that you will still have to get up and comfort your child, but God will support you in soothing your child (because He is the father of orphans) and give you new strength (because He is a defender of widows).
Accept God’s help, really turn to Him, and you will see a difference. How? Children, from a young age, feel the frustration and anger of their parents, even if nothing is said. Once you realize that God is with you, that He gently caress your hair while you hold your child, gives you a little shoulder massage while the baby cries, you will be calmer and at peace. This peace is what your child will feel and it will calm them down. It’s a spiritual principle, but also a psychological principle. And it works!
Instead of trying to control the situation by yourself, take God’s hand and let Him take control. “Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46.10 NKJV) God is there to help you, to answer your needs (of patience and love); and He is also there to provide for the needs of your children as a father would do. If your children need to be corrected, believe me I know from experience, God will speak to them and correct them. Trust God: He has promised to support the orphans and widows, and He always keep His promises.