God’s Plan for Your Prodigal

Earlier than my youngsters have been born, I had an idealistic view of what parenting could be like. However it didn’t take lengthy for my plans to be upended as the attractive but difficult journey started. 

What struck me most was the independence exerted by every of my youngsters, an independence that typically led them down compromising paths. For causes I nonetheless ponder, I naively believed my youngsters could be proof against compromise, particularly when it got here to issues of religion. I envisioned them navigating their stroll with God with ease and certainty, by no means straying from His ideas. 

Nonetheless, I’ve come to appreciate we’re all on our personal journey, and for some, the street again to the Savior is lengthy and troublesome. But, I relaxation within the assurance that my household is held within the embrace of God’s sovereign plan. I belief that the Lord is at work, weaving His good will by means of our lives, together with the lives of our prodigals.

With every passing day, I’m studying to launch my fears and failures to Him, reminding myself of His guarantees and the hope He provides. I cling to the idea that irrespective of how far they could wander, there’s at all times a path again dwelling.

When you’re questioning what God’s plans is perhaps to your prodigal, take consolation in these promising Scriptures.

He Needs to Save Them

“To start with, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all folks, for kings and all who’re in excessive positions, that we could lead a peaceable and quiet life, godly and dignified in each approach. That is good, and it’s pleasing within the sight of God our Savior, who wishes all folks to be saved and to come back to the information of the reality. For there’s one God, and there’s one mediator between God and males, the person Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given on the correct time.” 1 Timothy 2:1-6 (ESV)

I most likely don’t must ask this, however is your prodigal son or daughter included in your prayers? Are you diligently praying for them with thanksgiving in your coronary heart? 

I understand how troublesome it’s to maintain interceding if you don’t see the fruit of your petitions. However don’t develop weary! Galatians 6:9 spurs us on, saying, “Allow us to not turn into weary in doing good, for on the correct time we are going to reap a harvest if we don’t hand over.” Think about the attractive harvest of your youngster’s coronary heart able to obtain Christ. What a beautiful day that shall be! 

I really like the parable of the persistent widow when Jesus emphasised the significance of praying and by no means giving up. He mentioned, “And won’t God result in justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and evening? Will he hold placing them off? I inform you he’ll see that they get justice, and rapidly” (Luke 18:7-8). 

My mates, we’re free to name upon the Lord, day and evening. He desires to listen to our prayers and petitions. Jesus eliminated the veil so we may enter into God’s presence and inform Him every thing.

Draw close to to God at this time, and let your wishes be made recognized. Be persistent in prayer, believing in religion to your prodigal’s return.

He Desires Their Eyes to Be Open

“I’m sending you to them to open their eyes and switch them from darkness to gentle, and from the ability of Devil to God, in order that they could obtain forgiveness of sins and a spot amongst those that are sanctified by religion in me.” Acts 26:17-18

Paul’s miraculous conversion on the street to Damascus is likely one of the most comforting passages for fogeys of prodigals. From assassin to martyr, Paul’s life was reworked instantly by an excellent encounter with Jesus.

As we learn Paul’s story, we see the good fee Jesus positioned on his life. He was despatched to open the eyes of the Gentiles, flip them from darkness to gentle, and ship them from the ability of Devil to God. Paul’s testimony is a strong reminder that nobody is just too far gone to be captured by God’s love and redemption.

All alongside, God’s plan has been to open folks’s eyes to His free reward of salvation. We are able to belief Him to fulfill our prodigals proper the place they’re, providing them new life in Christ. Let’s keep in mind Paul’s Damascus journey with renewed hope for our family members. The Lord nonetheless speaks at this time, drawing folks out of darkness and into His wonderful gentle.

He Seeks Them

“For the Son of Man got here to hunt and to save lots of the misplaced.” Luke 19:10

Does God hold pursuing us even after we run away? This can be a critical query that requires a critical reply. For fogeys of prodigals, it’s tempting to imagine our youngsters have gone too far, pushed too arduous, or run too quick. However keep in mind Isaiah 59:1, which says, “Certainly the arm of the Lord will not be too quick to save lots of, nor his ear too uninteresting to listen to.”

In this post by Debbie McDaniel, she says, “Some days, we simply want a reminder, that God is intimately concerned in all that issues us. Perhaps we have been praying for one thing and nonetheless do not see the reply. Perhaps a door closed that we have been actually hoping would open. Perhaps we’re battling discouragement and defeat, or we’re burdened for the lives of these we love…He is aware of. He cares.”

My mates, we are able to completely belief God to maintain pursuing our prodigals with His limitless love. The phrase of His mouth has the ability to vary even probably the most wayward coronary heart. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the phrase of God resides and energetic, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the ideas and intentions of the guts. And no creature is hidden from his sight, however all are bare and uncovered to the eyes of him to whom we should give account.” 

As you wait to your prodigal to return, pray the Scriptures aloud. Communicate life and fact over them, believing God for better issues. Resist ideas that they’ve run too far and keep in mind no creature below heaven is hidden from God’s sight. He nonetheless seeks. He nonetheless saves.

He Makes the Approach Clear

“When you declare together with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and imagine in your coronary heart that God raised him from the lifeless, you can be saved. For it’s together with your coronary heart that you just imagine and are justified, and it’s together with your mouth that you just profess your religion and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

In one among my earlier posts, Why Is There Only One Way to Heaven?, I share, “Jesus is the Approach, the Reality and the Life. His approach is bound, and His path is open to all. What a divine blessing to be given the precise instructions to eternity! There isn’t any guesswork. There isn’t any re-calculating the journey. Jesus paved the way in which as soon as and for all.”

Sadly, many prodigals really feel they’re unworthy of salvation. If we have been to take a ballot, we’d possible hear solutions comparable to:

“I’m too misplaced.”

“I’ll by no means be ok.”

“I can’t stay as much as God’s requirements.”

“It’s hopeless.”

In distinction, Jesus made the way in which of salvation as clear as attainable. God’s biggest plan to your prodigal is to save lots of them. He loves them with an eternal love and needs nothing greater than for them to repent, imagine, and be saved. You’ll be able to belief Him each step of the way in which. Do you imagine this at this time? 

Extra Assets for Your Journey:

10 Affirmations for the Parent of a Prodigal Child

7 Prayers for Your Prodigal Child

10 Reasons to Trust God with Your Prodigal Child

Picture Credit score: ©Halfpoint

Jennifer Waddle authorJennifer Waddle is the writer of a number of books, together with Prayer WORRIER: Turning Every Worry into Powerful Prayerand is an everyday contributor for LifeWay, Crosswalk, Abide, and Christians Care Worldwide. Jennifer’s on-line ministry is EncouragementMama.com the place yow will discover her books and join her weekly submit, Discouragement Doesnt Win. She resides together with her household close to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains—her favourite place on earth. 

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