How to Reassure Your Children in the Shadow of World War Three

P arents can help alleviate many of their fears their children have, but what about the children’s fear of World War Three, knowing their parents are helpless to stop it?

Parental Protection

Parents can help alleviate many of their fears their children have, but what about the children’s fear of World War Three, knowing their parents are helpless to stop it? Parents have the duty to protect, nourish, and above all, love their children, but there are some things we can’t protect them from. We can’t be with them every minute, so parents can protect their children from harm…up to a point. Parents have to admit this, but they also have another resource most of the world doesn’t have or even think about. It is God Who can protect them. When they’re unseen by us, they’re always seen by God. We have to pray to God and trust Him for things that we have no control over. And it’s okay to tell your children this. They can trust their parents, but God, even more so, and they need to hear that too.

God as Protector

God is a protector and guardian over the children of believers, so tell them! They are set apart (sanctified) by God for those parents who believe (1 Cor 7:14). If parents show no fear about the violent state of the world (i.e., wars), then the child will pick up on that and have a calmer mind about things. But, if a parent shows apprehension, fear and overly worries about things, the child will take note of that and may become anxious about the way the world is. More is caught than taught.

The Peace of God

When Jesus was about to leave the disciples and go to Calvary, they were deeply troubled, so when your children are troubled, remind them of the promise Jesus gave to His own disciples, but also to us. Our Lord promised, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27). The Lord “said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Jesus’ peace does not come and go with circumstances, but resides in the heart, permanently. Why? It is because it is His peace and not ours. Any human peace we might come up with can fail and come and go like the tide, but Jesus’ peace is true peace because He is able to deliver on every precious promise. So tell your children about the peace of God. It is a peace that surpasses human understanding (Phil 4:7), even dad and moms.

God on His Throne

If children understood the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, it might give them more peace of mind about the world wars and violence and escalating inflation. God’s sovereignty is just that: It is where God allows all things to happen for our very best (Rom 8:28), no matter what happens. God sees everything and is never caught by surprise, knowing the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God? He is on His throne, directing events in human history to do His good pleasure, no matter what things look like. Even though we have free will, God uses human freewill to work into His will, like at Calvary. As to how to reconcile freewill and God’s sovereignty, I have no idea. I just know that it’s true, so tell your children nothing in the entire universe is out of His control.

Things that parents can’t control, and children obviously can’t control, are things that God can and always does control. He always has and He always will. When things are impossible for us, they are always possible for Him (Matt 19:26). Children (grandchildren, etc.) need to hear that, but more so, they need to know that you believe that so that they will believe that too. Tell them! That’s a parental responsibility that God will hold parents accountable for (Deut 6:7-9; Prov 22:6).

Who’s in Control?

Horace Vernet, Jeremiah on the ruins of Jerusalem (1844).

Only God could tell Jeremiah the Prophet, “See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jer 1:9). Actually the Prophet would foretell of the fall of Judah but other nations too. It wasn’t Jeremiah’s idea (Jer 1:6) but God’s (Jer 1:7-8). The Prophet Daniel also understood that “The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men” (Dan 4:17). So tell your children that God “rules the kingdom of men” and is fully involved in their lives too. Remind them of the promises of God so that they can pillow their head at night on them. The late Dr. John MacArthur said that the “Sovereignty of God is the softest pillow of all.” And he is so right. Maybe your children can rest in the fact God is in total, absolute control, even if it doesn’t look like it. God has ways of using evil for good (Gen 50:20; John 3:16).

Conclusion

I pray you have put your trust in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If that has not happened yet, my friend, you are in real danger of hell fire. And I mean, in immediate danger. You’re one breath, one heartbeat…one accident away from eternity when it will be too late to repent. Today is the best day to believe (2 Cor 6:2) since tomorrow is no guarantee. If Jesus Christ came today, here is your fate (Matt 7:21-23). This is why I plead with you as you read this, repent today…and I mean right now. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. If you do not, you will face God’s judgment after death guaranteed (Heb 9:27) or at Jesus Christ’s appearance (Rev 20:12-15), which could happen at any moment.

Here is some related reading for you: Why Believes Should Never Fear World War Three

Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version^® (ESV^®), Crossway Bibles. (2007). ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Tagged as: Children, Fear, parenting, parents, World War Three