Can the Best Parents Guarantee Their Kids Follow Christ?
If you are a Christian parent, you would love the guarantee that your kids will grow up to follow Christ. Right?
We want our children to know, obey, and enjoy Jesus as we do.
But if you are the best parent in the entire world, can you guarantee that your kids will follow Christ?
We live in a society that is on information overload when it comes to parenting.
There are so many books, websites, and articles available on parenting. We think that if we approach parenting ‘right’ we will raise a generation of miniature Christians.
Myth: that I Could Be the Perfect Parent
My parents were wonderful parents but in my pride, I thought I could do even better.
Not knowing anything about parenting except what I learned by example, I started reading books about parenting.
The first book was the one my mother used. I quickly realized she only used the medical portion and not the other half that encouraged permissive parenting typical back in her day.
So my search continued.
By the time my oldest son was three, I had found some popular Christian parenting books. Though I searched through those books, I found no answer for my active boy.
As time went on, I found a few other books and many articles.
I bought into the myth that how my children turned out was a reflection on my parenting skills and godliness.
I was so wrong!
That concept cannot be found anywhere in the Bible!
Pray that Your Kids Will Follow Christ!
It is important that you pray for your children that they would be saved.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. John 15:16
God wants everyone who has ever walked on this earth to be saved, including your kids.
Don’t ever stop praying for them! Pray for your children for the rest of your life!
Some of my seven kids are not following Jesus and as some of you might know, this is a great concern of many mothers.Only God knows the end of their story.
I will keep praying for them!
When the Best Parent’s Kids Won’t Learn
Even the ‘best’ parent can have children who refuse to be taught by the Lord.
God was the best parent ever, yet his children rebelled against him!
Let’s look at this verse in Isaiah that was precious to me as my children were growing up.
All your children shall be taught by the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of your children. Isaiah 54:13
As I read Isaiah 54 recently, I could feel the presence of Jesus with His arms around me, comforting me. Some of my children do not have the peace of God promised in this verse because they do not walk with the Lord.
In stark contrast to God as a parent, I have miserably failed. Yet, God gives me grace and offers to take control of the outcome of each of my children’s lives.
We cannot make our children ‘godly’ by their outward obedience.
Children can learn to obey on the outside while they are rebelling inside their heart!
If each of my children grew up to follow Christ, it would NOT have been because of ME.
True success as a parent is because of the redemptive cleansing work of Jesus in your child’s heart.
If all seven of my children had followed Christ, I would have had the tendency to think it was because of “ME” and all “I” did!
If God turns any of my prodigal children around, it will absolutely because of a miracle that Jesus performed in their heart.
As long as they are breathing, I will do my best to pray for my children!
There is NO Guarantee Your Kids Will Learn!
In this verse, God is saying that He will teach all of your children. He will teach but your children have to do the learning of their own free will.
When I was five, my teacher made me sit next to a boy called Marcus who was always being naughty. She hoped that if he sat next to me he would behave.
Do you think he ‘learned’ because Mrs. Goodfellow ‘taught’ him? Of course not! He was not paying attention!
It is the responsibility of each of our kids to hear. They can sit perfectly and appear to be learning because you taught them to behave, but not be listening at all!
No matter if you were the godliest parent or totally missed the mark in some way, remember, it was never your responsibility in the first place.
God gave your children to you for a season but never gave you the responsibility for the outcome.
Jesus calls them and it is up to THEM to respond!
Do you have prodigal children who are not walking with Jesus? Share in the comments so I can pray!
My son’s name is Nathan. He claims to be an atheist. This breaks my heart but all I can do is pray for him.
Oh Michele! That is so hard for you but praying is the right thing to do. I am reading one of Stormie Omartian’s books on prayer and it is so strengthening as I pray. I added him and will be praying for him (and you too)!
Hi, Judith!
Thank you so much for this post! What an encouragement! As a former teacher I know all too well that we can teach our hearts out all the while our students’ just let their minds wander. Like you I have tried my best, but failed miserably at times, too, in raising my girls. One is not following the Lord. Right now. I pray and hope. Please pray with me for her. She professes to be saved, but does not seek the things of God. So it’s hard for this mama to believe that she is.
I’m praying for you and your prodigals, too!
Teresa
Thank you so much for sharing that this was an encouragement. It keeps me writing as I am sure you understand. I will be praying with you also for your daughter. It is the very thing that hurts a mother’s heart the most! God is able to bring our children to Him!
Please pray for my son Jake
Hi Debbie! I just wrote your son’s name down so I will remember to pray for him. I hope your heart is comforted as you put your trust in God’s timing.