CHRISTIAN PARENTS of ESTRANGED ADULT CHILDREN Community Group
Estrangement makes it difficult to talk about with family, friends, neighbors and church members. Christians are NOT immune to broken families. Talk about your experiences with those who know how you feel and get positive support through your Christian faith...."In these last days difficult times will come, for men will be lovers of self...disobedient to parents,...
Believing. I think believing is having faith. Not putting on rose-colored glasses. Not living in denial. Not being overly optimistic. Not sticking our head in the sand. No...its not that. Its just plain believing.
Believing that things can be better tomorrow. Believing that people can change. Believing that our estranged adult children are in hands mightier than ours. Believing that though we see no changes yet, those changes will happen. Believing that prayer works. Believing beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we hope for will come to pass. Believing that faith is the substance of all things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.
One day at a time, I will believe!
Believing that things can be better tomorrow. Believing that people can change. Believing that our estranged adult children are in hands mightier than ours. Believing that though we see no changes yet, those changes will happen. Believing that prayer works. Believing beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we hope for will come to pass. Believing that faith is the substance of all things hoped for and the evidence of things not yet seen.
One day at a time, I will believe!
But, when someone consistantly fulfills their promises, it is easier to have faith in what they say. Hence the Bible, written by God, with it's thousands of years of biblical prophecy ALL being fullfilled and recorded. It's easy to believe when Jesus says he's coming back, he's coming back. He has a recorded history that he is worthy to have faith in!
Faith is only as good as the object in which it is placed. All the faith in the world in someone or something false won't help you.
Faith is vitally important in my life as a Christian. It is by faith that I am saved; I am justified; cleansed, and look forward to the return of Jesus. My faith makes me want to please God, my faith causes me to dependence on Him, and tocontinually seek His grace.
Therefore, I belive IN Jesus because I believe he did what he said he was going to do and I live by faith that he will do what he said he will do in the future.
I would have to say that my belief is that I am "believing that though I see no changes yet, those changes CAN happen" if my child turns to God, repents and asks for forgiveness. If that happens I see resolution as a real possibility. That change CAN happen in my lifetime or it very well may not. It's all in God's hands.
I have seen very dedicated Christians believe with their whole heart and soul that God will answer their prayers for deliverance from cancer only to have to have a hysterectomy to save their live and then becoming angry that God didn't deliver. That person became an atheist and still is as far as I know. God does not always say "yes", at least that is what I was taught. Maybe I just don't have enough faith? If nothing else, this estrangement has caused me to question some of the beliefs I was brought up with. I'm not sure I have arrived at absolute conviction yet on that.
I cannot determine the outcome for my EC, and God will not take from them their free will and ultimate choice. I can pray, however, that God will be a relentless redeemer, and the "hound of heaven" on their behalf - presenting them with continued opportunities to receive His grace and redemption until their last breath. I feel confident that this is a prayer He will answer!
"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." James 5:16
We need to not lose heart, to continue to pray tenaciously, and to guard God's unchanging character in our own minds - which is probably our biggest battle! He is constant and does not change like shifting shadows. We can rely with confidence on that. Otherwise, our house is built on the sand of our own predetermined outcomes to our prayers, and it cannot stand. To believe that God's character is unchanging, when the veil hides His workings, and our understanding is limited, and our hoped for outcome is not realized according to our timetable - now, that's the test of faith! When all is said and done, my hope is that I may be found faithful to Him - that is my prayer.
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