Prodigal Parent ProcessSample

The Prodigal Path

Romans 1  gives the best step-by-step example of what a prodigal goes through. This process can help you as a parent see that being a prodigal is a choice, and free will is a part of his or her choice to live as a prodigal.  

Verse 19 explains that God makes himself known to all. Your prodigal knows God. God has revealed himself, and in all your Bible reading and church-going, your prodigal has been informed about God. It’s not that they don’t know God, it’s just they have not made him the king of their heart yet. 

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools

Romans 1: 21-22

After the prodigal rejects their knowledge of God, their thinking becomes futile. This explains the bizarre things they may say or tell you. They now believe and behave as if they never believed. 

Next, the heart starts to become dark. When someone rejects the light, their heart becomes dark. This is their mind, will, and emotions. This is also why a prodigal is irrational, may lie, make up stories, and do things unimaginable to you because it is very much against how they were raised. 

As they progress into rejecting God, their behavior changes. This shows up in medicating their life with poor choices in relationships, promiscuity, pornography, and various other addictive behaviors. I have seen thousands of prodigals heal from these behaviors and relationships, so I totally can validate that this is a known path of the prodigal. 

To sum things up, here are a few important points. 

1. Your prodigal knows God. 

2. They have rejected the love and authority of God in their life.

3. This rejection of God shows up in the way they think.

4. Their heart (mind, will, and emotions) become darker.

5. This moves them into bad relationships, sexual and other addictive behaviors and/or bad choices. 

6. Lastly, and most importantly, none of this has anything to do with your parenting. How do I know this? There are ungodly parents whose child comes to know the Lord, puts God first, their mind, heart, and behavior clean up, and live godly lives. I know I am one of these children. 

Bottom line: each prodigal’s outcome is 100% the result of free will, and not the parent’s fault.