It Never Ends

Parenting is a lifelong journey. I know generations before us may have thought that parenting was over once they got out of high school. Then it went to when they got done with college that parenting was over. Once they get married, parenting is over. Then it is once they have children, parenting is over.

It is true that active parenting should stop as children become young adults, but the role of encouraging and emotionally supporting them, being a listening ear, giving advice when asked, and enjoying who God is making them—that journey never ends.

As you parent, you will see the hand of God on their lives again and again. He is a good Father. Your children will make mistakes and learn as you did to hear God’s voice and seek godly counsel. If they become prodigals or saints, it is because of their choices and not the fault of your parenting style. We are a parent only, the soil, not the seed. They ultimately have the final say in how they invest their lives. Ours is to show them by example to be imperfect yet perfectly loved by God. To live in a way that testifies to God’s faithfulness so they see us as their parents and God as well. Like David said in Psalm 40:10, “I have not hid Thy righteousness within my heart. I have declared Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation. I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.”

There is no greater congregation in our lives than our children. As we, as parents, live a life of receiving God’s grace and His faithfulness. We can trust Him with the children He has trusted us to parent.

If you need help adjusting your parenting approach to meet each child’s individual motivation systems, you can access the teaching series titled, “Parenting the Child that Challenges You (and the Other One) here.

If you’re struggling with being a parent of a prodigal, you can join Heart to Heart Counseling Center’s free support group for prodigal parents here: www.facebook.com/groups/prodigalparents