Children who are introduced to God later in childhood often say they have a tough time believing in God. They weren’t taught from an early age to see God working in their world and can’t articulate what it would take for them to believe God is real.
All children are concrete thinkers for quite a few years of their early development. It can be difficult even for children raised in Christin homes to understand concepts like God, whom they can’t physically see. God is an abstract idea for them and difficult for their brains to process. It’s an important part of their faith development to teach them how to see God without actually seeing Him.
There are two great ways to help children see that God is alive and active in our world today. One is by pointing out to children every time you see God working in the world. God often uses people and circumstances to further the growth of His Church and individuals. It is amazing to watch Him fit the pieces together in ways that are too amazing to be mere coincidence.
Another great way for kids to begin seeing God is through nature. What better way to help your children remember how they saw God in nature than by allowing them to capture it with photos? Many families already have some sort of digital camera device they let their children take pictures with from time to time. Your kids may even have their own phones with cameras.
Take a walk anywhere there is nature. Give your children a challenge as you walk around the area.
Encourage them to take photos that show God at work or God’s handiwork. It could be a flower, a rock or something so creative your kids have to explain their thinking to you. Whatever speaks to your children and reminds them God is alive and active in their world is what you want them to capture. They can take unconnected shots or create a storyline for their photos.
If you can afford it, print off the best photos. Display them around your house (dollar store frames can be a cheap way to display multiple photos). You might want to have a rotating exhibit or invite friends and family over for your “gallery” show. Have fun with it, but remember as your kids work on the project to have lots of discussions about their choices.
Helping your kids see God at work in their world without your coaching is an important part of helping your kids build strong faith foundations. It’s worth taking the time and effort to teach them where to see God in their worlds.