Not only is this mom struggling with the decisions her daughter is making, she is also mad at God and all the parenting teaching she has received.
She feels she bought a bill of goods that said if she headed toward the right target she would make it there without losing any of her children.
“Why doesn’t anyone talk about free will?” she questions.
Let me say first off, if one of our children turns their back on Christ, I WILL be devastated. I don’t see any way around that. I know it can happen, but I am not really preparing myself for it. Just like I know one of my children could die in an accident, I do not really focus on that or plan for it. If it happens I will have to walk that terrible road. I will have to experience every one of those awful steps of mourning, just as my friend is doing now.
Still I don’t stop focusing on the goal I have for my children because they may not hit the mark. Sitting back and hoping they follow Jesus may make rebellion a little less painful because I would not feel I had invested so much, but it is not a strategy of success.
Romans 10: 14 “How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
Yes, we each have free will.
Yet, just because some children drop out of school, do we stop trying to educate everyone? Just because not everyone that graduates finds a successful career, do we stop requiring education? No, the exceptions do not make the rule.
The rule is, Proverbs 1: 8 “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’ teaching.” Instruct and teach that is our part as parents.
Please understand, my friend did instruct and teach that is why she is so very confused. All I am saying is we are asked to be faithful even though we cannot make anyone believe; not even our children. If there was a magic pill to get others to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, would we not all become pill pushers?
Rebellion is painful and confusing. We must be sensitive to those dealing with wayward children. In many ways I do see this as mourning and want to allow my friend the room to go through the steps she needs, at the pace she needs, just as I would if this child had died in an accident.