Be careful for nothing

“Praying for Your Adult Children” by Darlene McLaughlin.

“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)

It doesn’t take long to figure out it can be much more difficult to be the parent of an adult child than of a toddler.

I was seated beside my son and his wife at our district ministers retreat. I was holding my sleeping grandson when altar call came. The message was moving, revealing, and God was working. I lifted my hand to stretch it towards my son’s shoulder, just to let him know I was there. He was weeping and broken after a year of what seemed like endless trial and struggle.

“Don’t you touch him; you let him die there.” These words did not come softly; but in an unusual way, they did bring comfort to my spirit. I didn’t understand it all, but a peace came to my mama’s heart. I knew I could trust God. I pulled my hand back and placed it on the back of his sleeping boy. I knew the Lord was making him in a way I could not. I played a part of his existence, but I was not the source of his purpose and calling. God was reminding me of that.

How often have I prayed for God to take this from him? Take away the forming. Take away the making and the dying out portion of his calling. I imagined how tempted Mary may have been to do likewise as her son hung beaten on that cross. But she didn’t. She knew that although she gave birth to Him, His purpose belonged to God’s will and plan.

So how do we pray during these times? I had to learn what not to pray before I learned what to pray. Instead of praying that the

Lord take this away from him, I began to pray “Lord, I trust you with Him.” I also added, “Satan get your hand off of him through this necessary suffering.”

I had been praying for God to help him, but God was helping him. Just not the way I wanted Him to. Not the way a mom wants to witness.

“Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of His pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)

In praying for our adult children, we must not see them as only ours, but also as His. We can frustrate the hand of God on their lives by praying for the removal of necessary suffering.

Note: Darlene McLaughlin and her husband pastor in Fort St John, British Columbia, Canada. She is a Pastoral Counselor and a NAM Recovery Ministries Director for the UPCI.

Information from:
Ladies Prayer International Newsletter – UPCI Ladies Ministries – ladiesprayerinternational-aol.com@shared1.ccsend.com