Today I want to bring encouragement to those who are discouraged over the burden of seeing their kids get older and not follow Jesus. I cannot imagine the pain. Many in our church feel this pain every day. Many beat themselves up, feeling that they have personally failed their children spiritually–failed to raise them in the instruction of the Lord.
Many in our church, like myself, have small children, and we are asking for God’s grace to help us raise them in the instruction of the Lord. We long for God to open up their hearts to believe and follow Jesus as they hear the gospel in the home. We pray daily that they may follow Jesus as a child and on into adulthood. But the gut-wrenching and freeing reality is that we cannot save our children to follow Jesus. Only the grace of God in Christ can do that.
Heart transformation is an impossible task for sinful people, whether it’s in our 5 year-old daughter or our 38 year old son. But the good news is that Jesus said (talking about salvation): “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:26). This is why we pray on our knees daily for God to work the miracle of new birth in the hearts of our children.
So, if your son or daughter is not following Christ today, be encouraged that Christ can save them. His blood is sufficient to cover any sin. He gives more grace. If you are beating yourself up as a parent today because of the waywardness of your children, listen to this 10 min audio clip of encouragement from John Piper on his podcast (Ask Pastor John). And be encouraged, you are not alone.
Listen to the Interview Here
Recommended Resources:
–Parenting by Paul David Tripp
–Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp