Dear Parent of a Sinner

It's like being punched in the gut, isn't it?

When those confessions or discoveries come. When you realize that your beloved child is truly a desperate and rebellious sinner.

How it hurts to watch them fall.

To see the misery sin brings them.

To wonder if you've failed them.

To know there's no way out of the mess but through it.

Yeah. It's a punch in the gut. And no matter the size of the issue, it's painful imagining your enemy's pleasure... Mocking all you try to do right... Laughing at your hopes and dreams for this precious child... Shattering the idea that because you love God you won't have to deal with the pain of sin.

You're tempted to imagine a dark future. You hear whispers of failure. The enemy taunts... no one else would understand. This is too messy. You're not equipped to deal with this.

And you think about ignoring the problem. Finding an escape. Playing the blame game.

Or medicating.

But don't.

Despite the pain, don't.

Despite your fear and embarrassment, don't.

Because it's all a lie.

The future isn't dark. Someone will understand. This isn't too messy. You will be equipped to deal with this. Don't give up. Don't ignore the problem. Don't run away, or sweep it under the rug, or blow up or medicate.

Because there is so. much. hope.

Because of Jesus.

The beauty of Jesus is that He sees it all. He died for it all. His blood washes it all away. His love is so great that even though He knows, He still pursues, cleanses, forgives. He offers grace. Grace upon grace. Grace greater than all our sin.

And as you and I parent, we are called to offer up Jesus' grace. After all, we're just as depraved. We offer the good news we've experienced for ourselves. News of unconditional love... of cleansing blood... of death and resurrection... of beautiful, breathtaking grace.

Like Jesus, though, we must pursue patiently. Knowing that everyone has their own choice to make. Knowing that we can't control timing. But we can continually offer truth. We can continually offer grace.

And as we extend the truth and grace of Jesus, we accept the assignment God has given us.

• We pray. Faithfully interceding for the precious soul that our enemy has targeted.
• We enlist help. Finding godly counsel when necessary to walk us and our child through hidden pain that can be at the root of sin.
• We give God time to work. Trusting, believing that it is His power that transforms lives.
• And we lean on the everlasting arms. Rather than medicating, blaming, growing bitter, or running away, we humble ourselves. We ask our loving Father what we are to learn... how we are to change... how to keep on living and loving well.

Dear parent of a sinner,

You are not alone. All the rest of us parents are right here beside you. We're parenting sinners as well. In fact, we are sinners too. And we need Jesus just as desperately as our kids do.

And dear parent, I promise you this...

God still works miracles.

He still redeems and changes lives.

He still creates beauty from ashes.

And His light shines oh so gloriously through cracked vessels.

Don't you dare despair.

There is so much hope. Because of Jesus.

Blessings,

Jennifer