When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of the firstborn was Joel, and the name of the second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 1^st Samuel 8:1-3

A Parent's Pain

There are some Christian parents who have provided for the physical and spiritual needs of their children, teaching them to love and serve one another, and to observe the commandments of the Lord. Some of these parents have found their sons and daughters have chosen not to live a life of obedience to God. That can be very painful to a godly parent. The prophet Samuel was a parent that experienced that kind of pain. He served the Lord from the time he was 13 years old to an estimated age of 110. His sons, appointed as judges over Israel, chose to go after money and gain through taking bribes and corrupting justice.

I have found that members of my own family have chosen to make moral choices yet have refused to allow God to be at the center of their lives. It has been a great source of grief and sorrow to my wife and I. My family certainly wasn't taught to resist the Lord yet that is how things have turned out for my children and grandchildren. Speaking to them about it, exhorting them to change, encouraging them to seek God in their lives have been met with opposition and at times open hostility.

What can a parent in this kind of pain do? Not giving up on God and loving their children where they are is a wise choice. And be ardent in prayer for them. I take time everyday to pray for my loved ones. I've been doing it for years without seeing change and I do get disheartened at times. But that doesn't mean the Holy Spirit isn't working in their lives. In my prayers for my loved ones I ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for me on their behalf (Romans 8:26) asking that He will deal with their minds and hearts according to His perfect will. I take solace in knowing the perfect will of God is being accomplished in their lives through Him.

The promises of God are true and steadfast. His Word tells us that He fulfilled all the promises He made to the children of Israel when He led them 40 years in the wilderness (Joshua 21:45). Other verses on God's faithfulness in keeping His promises you can refer to are Jeremiah 1:12, Ezekiel 12:28, Philippians 1:6 and Galatians 6:9 which tell us not to give up. While God cannot promise that our loved ones will definitely turn to Him He does exhort us to pray without ceasing (1^st Thessalonians 5:17-18). 

A parent's pain for those choosing to walk outside the will and precepts of the Lord can be agonizing indeed but there can also be peace and rest as we remember just how faithful God is in His working in their lives. We can remember that He works every time we pray for them and His word does not return empty (Isaiah 55:11). He has given us all free will that works in our own lives and the lives of our loved ones that at times hinders godly decisions. But the Lord in His faithfulness is not willing for anyone to perish (2^nd Peter 3:9). 

He works through our prayers and He is faithful to His promises. His promises can also be a comfort to us and able to help relieve a parent's pain. If you are a parent in pain be encouraged in His fathomless Faithfulness. The wheel of God moves in His own timing but let us praise Him that it does move.

Ken