The Power of Praying for Your Adult Child
this is a book by Stormie Omartian
Our second class was even harder to keep within a time frame. All the questions in the Prayer and Study Guide, for me, make it a 3-4 class study.
Just looking up the Scripture she mentions and praying over it, checking some of the words in the Greek or Hebrew, well there’s a lot there.
So we started our time in prayer, thanking God for our children and for what He has and is doing in their lives and for changing us, opening up our eyes to things we need to change.
The question we started with was :
What is your favorite book of the Bible? and Why?
Please share your answer too.
Then I asked which of the 7 truths spoke to them the most. It was unanimous Truth 5 'You Need to Know You Have to Forgive'
and this isn't just about forgiving you children, it's about forgiving anyone that you believe has hurt your child, and forgiving yourself.
I shared about a person that really hurt my daughter in actions and words and how I struggle with forgiveness because it could have caused great damage to her if my husband and I had not been there to help. So that has been a struggle for me on top of wondering where the heck I went wrong. And this is where satan wants us to get stuck. We have to realize God tells us to forgive as He has forgiven us. We also know there is nothing we can do about the past, we can't change it but we can learn from it, repent and move forward. God is a God of restoration and peace.
So, for me, I had to say 'I forgive .....' and when those 'feelings' would come up I would have to take authority and say 'stop, I have forgiven....' and then I would ask God to help me love them as He loves. Some people can do this once or twice and they are fine, but it was an uphill battle for me in the beginning.
Once I had forgiven I would pray this ‘I have forgiven...and I ask that you bless...., that they will be drawn to You and receive You as their Savior - help me love them as You love them.
And guess what......I mean it now! I still do not have to have a relationship with them or hang with them but I am called to forgive, pray and love.
Then those 'what did I do wrong thoughts' - there are NO PERFECT PARENTS or people out there, that's why Jesus had to come! So with that in mind, repent where you know you screwed up and accept God's forgiveness and believe Him to bring restoration in those areas. Move forward in the changes you need to make, be in in your words or your actions , and watch God move in your life and the life of your child!
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God.
Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you. Unknown
Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were. Cherie Carter-Scott
As they shared things in their lives we began to see how God was moving now, in us. How He is opening our eyes to His faithfulness and greatness. How we can pray and believe His word. I'm beginning to think this is a little of God's humor because we 'see' Praying for Our Adult Children.....but it is really working on our hearts as parents.
I also found a prayer online that I shared with the ladies. Here is the link http://www.prayers.org/viewprayer.asp?id=113
Prayer for Adult Children by Germaine Copeland
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