The Battle for the Heart Goes Through the Mind

Preventative Steps:

• Curbing culture’s influence by having simple and measurable rules and restrictions on technology in our home (practically and scientifically, the longer you can wait to put a device in your children’s hands the better)
• Having awareness and accountability of who and what is influencing our kids through what they watch and listen to
• Regularly asking questions like “What’s on your mind lately?,” “How can I be praying for you?,” or “Does the Bible give us any guidance on things like that?”

It’s All About Discipleship

In short, developing worldview is really all about discipleship. And discipleship is not something you need to add to your already busy life. Discipleship is a lifestyle.

It’s about consistent habits of living out your faith with and in front of those you love through everyday moments.

“There is no escaping habits and formation in a family. We become our habits. And our kids become us. Our family is a habit-making machine” (“Habits of the Household” by Justin Earley).

This is how a biblical worldview is formed in our kids. Like a fish in water, our faith needs to be the environment our kids live in day in and day out.

They see our faith. They want our faith. They emulate our faith. We have won their hearts, and we have shaped their minds.

A child’s worldview will often be reflected in direct proportion to a parent’s efforts at intentional discipleship.

Because the question is not whether or not your children will be discipled. Discipleship IS happening through their closest influences. The question is whether or not they will be discipled by you.

Never forget that the battle for the heart goes through the mind. And he who controls the mind wins the battle.

Your goal: Reaching your child’s heart now so God can have your child’s heart forever.

This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.