How do we shepherd small children through the pains of life?

The question comes to us from a mom in Baltimore named Taylor.

She writes, Hello Pastor John, my husband and I have been deeply encouraged and greatly

challenged by this podcast and through all the desire and God resources, thank you.

I just started your new book Providence and it is stirring my heart with great affection

toward our God.

Thank you for helping to align my emotions through your writings with the reality that

is ours.

This past fall, my husband was in a serious car accident.

He walked away from it with just a concussion, but our car was total.

When we shared this with our three-year-old in an age-appropriate way, he was greatly affected

by this even angered.

We tried to explain how God had allowed this and protected Daddy through his Providence,

but he had two responses asking when God will, quote, make Daddy dead, end quote, and showing

anger towards God and wanting to, quote, beat him up.

How would you explain suffering in light of God's Providence to a toddler and help him

to love God more for it?

There are two principles that need to be taken into account when choosing what to say to

a particular audience or child, what to say about God.

One principle is whether they are open and mature enough to understand the truth, and

the other principle is whether we have spoken the truth clearly and boldly enough so that

a real judgment can be formed about it.

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