12 Ways to Love and Guide Your Wayward Child Back to Christ

12 Ways to Love Your Wayward Child

As parents, we want our children to grow up in a godly home, make the right choices, and follow the Lord all their days. However, sometimes things don't go as planned, and our children make choices that take them away from godly living. This can be heartbreaking for parents who love their children and want the best for them. If you find yourself in this situation, know that you are not alone. Here are 12 ways to love your wayward child and point them back to Christ.

1. Pray for your child

Prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have as parents to influence our children's lives. We must pray for our children daily, asking God to reveal Himself to them, to give them wisdom, and to draw them back to Himself. We must also pray for ourselves, asking God to give us wisdom, patience, and the ability to speak truth in love to our children.

In Colossians 1:9-12, Paul writes,

"We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light."

We can pray this same prayer over our wayward children, asking God to fill them with the knowledge of His will, to give them wisdom and understanding, and to strengthen them with His power so that they may live a life worthy of the Lord.

2. Love them unconditionally

Our children need to know that we love them no matter what. Even when they make poor choices or do things that break our hearts, we must continue to love them unconditionally. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul writes about the importance of love, saying that love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, and keeps no record of wrongs. As parents, we must strive to love our children in this way, regardless of their actions or attitudes.

3. Listen to them

When our children are wayward, they often feel misunderstood and alone. They need someone to listen to them and understand their struggles. As parents, we must be willing to listen to our children, even when we don't agree with them. We must seek to understand their perspective and show empathy for their struggles. In James 1:19, we are told to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. This is wise advice for parents who want to connect with their wayward children.

4. Speak truth in love

While it is important to listen to our children, we must also speak truth to them in love. We must not compromise on the truth of God's Word, but we must also be careful to speak in a way that is not harsh or judgmental. In Ephesians 4:15, Paul writes that we are to speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ. As parents, our goal should be to help our children grow in their faith and become more like Christ, and speaking truth in love is an important part of that process.

5. Model godly living

Our children are watching us, even when we don't realize it. They need to see us living out our faith in practical ways. We must model godly living by reading our Bibles, praying, attending church, serving others, and living according to God's Word. In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul encourages us to imitate him as he imitates Christ. Our children should be able to look at our lives and see a reflection of Christ.

6. Create a safe space for them

Our children need a safe space to share their struggles and doubts without fear of judgment or condemnation. As parents, we must create a safe space for our children to share their hearts with us. We must be willing to listen without interrupting, offering solutions, or judging them. In Psalm 34:18, we are told that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. We can be the hands and feet of Jesus to our wayward children by creating a safe space for them.

7. Show them grace

As Christians, we know that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We must extend that same grace to our children, even when they don't deserve it. In Colossians 3:13, Paul writes that we are to forgive one another as the Lord forgave us. We must be quick to forgive our wayward children and show them the same grace that God has shown us.

8. Offer practical help

Our children may be struggling with practical issues that we can help with. Perhaps they need a job, a place to live, or help with their finances. As parents, we must be willing to offer practical help when we can. In James 2:15-16, we are told that if we see a brother or sister in need but have no pity on them, how can the love of God be in us? We must be willing to help our children in practical ways as an expression of our love for them.

9. Don't enable their sin

While we must offer practical help when we can, we must also be careful not to enable our children's sin. If our children are involved in destructive behaviors, we must not enable them by giving them money, a place to live, or anything else that will enable their sin. In Galatians 6:7-8, Paul writes that we will reap what we sow. We cannot continue to sow seeds of destruction in our children's lives and expect a different outcome.

10. Set healthy boundaries

As parents, we must set healthy boundaries with our wayward children. We must be clear about our expectations and hold our children accountable for their actions. This can be difficult, but it is necessary for their growth and well-being. In Proverbs 22:6, we are told to train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Setting healthy boundaries is part of training our children in the way they should go.

11. Don't give up hope

It can be easy to give up hope when our children are wayward, but we must remember that God is still at work in their lives. We must continue to pray, love, and speak truth to our children, trusting that God will use our efforts for His glory. In Philippians 1:6, Paul writes that he is confident that God who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. We must have that same confidence in God's work in our children's lives.

12. Trust God's sovereignty

Finally, as parents, we must trust in God's sovereignty. We must trust that He is in control and that He will use even the difficult situations in our children's lives for His glory. In Romans 8:28, we are told that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We must trust that even the hard things in our children's lives are working together for their good and for God's glory.

In conclusion, loving a wayward child can be difficult and heart-wrenching, but we must remember that God is at work in their lives. As we pray, love, speak truth, model godly living, create a safe space, show grace, offer practical help, set healthy boundaries, don't give up hope, and trust in God's sovereignty, we can point our children back to Christ and trust that He will use our efforts for His glory.