When They Seem to Be Slipping Away

Glory be, my readers came through with some topics for us to discuss. The first one comes from Anonymous who writes:

Tami, I am struggling with a child who was raised in a loving Christian home who is slipping away from us, but more importantly, away from God. Please send some words to comfort me in my worry for him and my guilt that I might have not done everything I should have.

Oh my dear Anonymous, any woman with grown children has surely asked these questions, haven't they? I have laid awake many nights struggling with decisions made out of my control. I have worried and stewed and asked God for intervention. I've wondered if God heard my prayers at all when He doesn't answer how I wish. I see the worst case scenario at the end of the road and panic.

I guess this is a long way of saying, "I HEAR YA SISTER!"

I wish I had a pretty answer for you. To be honest I've felt frustrated with God's consistent answer to me.

Trust Me.

I know. Not what you really want to hear. I can't tell you how many times He's told me this or variations of this.

There's a plan, Tami.
You can't see the big picture.
For God causes all things to work together for the good . . .
My time frame is not the same as yours.
Trust the plan.

I have no choice. If I want peace at all, I have to trust. I have to believe God's got it handled and do the only thing I can.

Pray my little heart out, relying on scriptures which tell me those prayers and my persistence matter.

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[a] a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Luke 11:9-13

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’”

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?"
Luke 18:1-7

. . . The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

I don't let Satan suggest I have failed. It's not that I haven't made mistakes. Everyone does. But what good comes from carrying that guilt? What do we say to our children if we hold onto it? Do we suggest they're horrible people? Do you want to tell them that? Not me. And how much is "enough?" How do you know you've done everything you can? We drive ourselves nuts dwelling on that. Instead, let's focus Truth.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6

I choose to believe God's got it, despite my failures.

Finally, I love like there's no tomorrow. Smiles, hugs, well-placed words from my kids absolutely undo me. I keep going back for more. I will be involved in my kids' lives, hoping my presence reminds them where they've come from and who they are. I will demonstrate that I am in their corner and they are on our team. Forever. I will always love them.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:6-7

What can you do when you're worried about your grown children?

Trust God.
Pray like crazy.
Don't let Satan beat you up.
Love, love, love.

I'm sorry, friend. There are no easy answers. As a friend of mine used to say on her blog, "Never give up." Never. Ever.

Thank you dear Anonymous, for having the courage to ask a tough question many people struggle with. I appreciate your boldness in coming forth.

What would you say to Anonymous?



Photo Credit: Thai Jasmine (Smile..smile...Smile..)