Prayer Request Heartbroken

I'm praying your children find their way to the Lord.

Said a prayer for your dear children and the whole family. The Lord will find His sheep. He will do it.

Benam said:

Without going into too much detail, I am completely heartbroken over the choices my children are making for their lives.

I am truly fearful that none of my children will be saved, and although my brain knows it's ultimately their responsibility for their decisions, my heart feels it's my fault for failing them as a Christian and a father.

Just asking for prayer.

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God pretty much always uses means to accomplish his ends, so I'm not going to say it isn't at all your fault your children do what they do. But remember that whatever happens is God's will concerning you (and them).

Two verses, that people don't usually put together: "Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come" and "It is God who works all things together for good..." ---I love how what God says cuts to the core, showing that we are not capable of doing what is right without him, and that he is the one who did what it takes for us to see that, and that it is still all in his hands.

My own son has abandoned the faith, yet I am proud of him for having the guts to do what his heart tells him --not that the Bible is untrue or that there is no God, but that what he has grown up hearing from the Church (and others) just doesn't add up.

If I condemn myself for how I raised my son, my condemnation is useless, because God has all this not only under control, but in his original plan. There is no plan B. He doesn't salvage situations. He caused the situation --and he did it for a GOOD reason.

The story has not all been told yet. Pray for God to work on them. THAT, and not assuming this is the end, is also your JOB as their father.

But yeah, it hurts.

There are many examples in Scripture where children of godly people did not walk in the ways of the Lord. Faith in Christ is not transferable. God has no grandchildren. The most powerful thing that you can do is to pray every day and for as long as possible for the salvation of your children, that the Holy Spirit will get on their case and give them a clear knowledge of the gospel and what they must do and then give them the faith to do it.

Benam said:

Without going into too much detail, I am completely heartbroken over the choices my children are making for their lives.

I am truly fearful that none of my children will be saved, and although my brain knows it's ultimately their responsibility for their decisions, my heart feels it's my fault for failing them as a Christian and a father.

Just asking for prayer.

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I remarked before, and while I firmly believe God will do what is right and has a plan that will NOT be done quite how we expect, I too admit to fear for my son's sake. The principles of the Bible are true, such as, "he who sins is a slave to sin". But I have seen, and have no doubt, that what we think is beyond reach of mercy or is "given over to their lusts" etc etc, God has this.

Nothing will happen to anyone that God has not used to further his will. I wish I knew how to paint the picture of his absolute control in situations that to our minds have gone irretrievable and hopeless. --In fact, I have reason to believe he even CAUSES those situations. God is willing to hurt himself to bring us to him.

My heart goes out to you, my brother. "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."

I frequently pray these Scriptures over my two sons, asking God to do these things for them. My greatest desire in my life is for my sons to know Christ and be faithful and genuinely love the Lord.

Ezekiel 36:26
Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Ephesians 3:14- 21
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Benam said:

Without going into too much detail, I am completely heartbroken over the choices my children are making for their lives.

I am truly fearful that none of my children will be saved, and although my brain knows it's ultimately their responsibility for their decisions, my heart feels it's my fault for failing them as a Christian and a father.

Just asking for prayer.

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If feel your pain and pray for you. You are not alone and are absolutely not to blame, and you are not failing. Believe that you are doing your absolute best as their parent. Sometimes seeking support is what's needed. Have you ever tried seeking Life coaching for your teenagers?

How are things going now? I am relatively new to these forums, but read your heartfelt need for prayer today.

Brother, I hear you. I have 3 children. One is now in heaven, and the other two adult children walked away from the faith after their brother's death. Following this decision on their parts have come so many other bad decisions, so, yes, I am familiar with your pain.

But I also know God is a kind and loving Father. The story of your children is not over yet.

I am comforted by several verses.

2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." He doesn't want ANYONE to perish, but wants EVERYONE to come to repentance. That means your children. Let me tell you briefly of my son who passed away. (He died in his sleep 5 years ago at the age of 25.) He was raised in the church as all of my kids were, but as a young adult, he wasn't too keen on God. In the last year of his life, though, I saw that all turn around. He attended a church (and went to work there), sang in the praise band, read his Bible, tithed, and had praise time with God alone in his apartment regularly. I was so grateful that I got to see this!

My own story is that I was raised in the church and attended church even as an adult, but it was not until I was 47 that I truly was born again and began (for a first time) a relationship with Jesus. I was thrilled to be given the gift of salvation! I also often shook my head and thought, "So much wasted time! 47 years where I could have been walking with the Lord." It was not my parents who led me to Him. It was my sister. She had been born again a few years before, but she had never told me or tried to talk to me about it at the time. When I later asked her why not, she said she knew I wasn't ready. She's right. I wouldn't have been. But my parents had laid the foundation by taking me to church in my formative years. When I came to the Lord, I knew where to go for answers... the Bible, church, pastors, hymns, etc.

You have laid the foundation for your children. You have sown the seed. God will bring people and circumstances into their lives to water and tend that seed and, ultimately, to harvest it.

Two other verses :

Proverbs 22:6 "Raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

I take comfort in that verse. I see it as telling parents to raise their children in the Lord, but please note the last part... and when he is OLD he will not depart from it. There are often a lot of years between raising a child and the child getting old in which he can wander, but I believe God will bring them back.

Also, Isaiah 49:25 (especially the last part of the verse) :

25 But this is what the Lord says:

“Yes, captives will be taken from warriors,
and plunder retrieved from the fierce;
I will contend with those who contend with you, and your children I will save."

I trust Him to be faithful to His word. He IS contending with everyone and everything that is contending with my children's salvation, and He promises to save my children!

Take comfort in the goodness and kindness of your (and their) Heavenly Father!