Few things are as painful for Christian parents as a child who turns away from his or her faith. Often mixed with that sadness is the parents’ guilt. In their minds, they’ve failed in their efforts to lead their child to Christ.
But effective parenting isn’t black and white. We can’t be perfect parents any more than we can be perfect human beings. We all fail. In addition, as children grow older, they become more independent and make their own choices.
Nevertheless, when children walk away from the faith, it’s heartbreaking for parents. That’s probably why the story of the prodigal son has remained one of the most beloved parables in Scripture for centuries. Although the story doesn’t make promises or guarantees about “wayward” children, it does offer hope to parents in desperate need of it.
You may be in the midst of that kind of pain, guilt and uncertainty right now, and you need the hope that only God himself can provide.
Your struggle is why we’re airing a recorded message by Rob Parsons on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly. Professionally, Rob is the founder and chairman of Care for the Family in the United Kingdom. As a parent, Rob is intimately familiar with your struggles, having prayed and shed tears over a prodigal of his own.
Using Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son as the backdrop for his talk, Rob offers real hope and encouragement for the journey ahead of you. He also shares some practical ideas to help you cooperate with the Lord in influencing your children to return to the values they’ve been taught.
Before I close, I’d like to extend an invitation for you to become a special partner with us through our monthly “Friends of Focus on the Family” program. When you do, I’ll send you a copy of Rob Parson’s book Bringing Home the Prodigals as a way of saying thank you for touching others with the love of Christ. You’ll also receive member-exclusive benefits. To make your pledge, or for more information, click here.