What's Really Going on Here?

by Dee Dee Wike



This week's question is one that I hear often and one I myself have asked many times over the past few years: 

If we are raising our kids according to the principles God has set forth in His Word, why are they falling into such rebellion?

We all know families, including our own, that suffer the heartache of living with prodigal children.   As I have struggled with my own challenges parenting a teenager, I have observed that many parents, even the most devout and committed Christians I know, are dealing with the same issue.  No matter how hard we try to bring up our kids to love God and walk in obedience to His Word, many of them are walking in blatant disobedience, engaging in self destructive behaviors that threaten their well being and our sanity.  So what's really going on here?

If we look to Scripture, it isn't hard to find an answer.  In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul writes:

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Could anything more accurately describe our prodigals, whatever their age, and our society in general?

There is no doubt that we are living in the last days.  We see signs all around us.  Satan knows his time is short to steal, kill, and destroy any remnant of God's goodness, especially in our children.  He employs influences of many kinds to do his dirty work, including bad friends, social media, and entertainment choices.  If you add up all the weapons in Satan's arsenal, it is no wonder that we feel outnumbered and overpowered by the evil influences we battle day in and day out as we strive to raise godly children.   What's a Christian parent, or any parent interested in raising children of moral character, to do?

First of all, we must lean on God and stand on His promises like never before!  Satan and all his demons are no match for God and His power.  1 John 4:4 says, "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."  We cannot give up the battle for our children's souls.  This is spiritual warfare and we must fight against the forces of evil which can destroy our children if we cease fighting for them.  "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Ephesians 6:9).  No matter how difficult things get, we must love our children, invest our lives in teaching them God's principles, and model what it means to walk in grace and godliness.

We also need to "carry each other's burdens, and in this way (we) will fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).  Said another way, we need to support and encourage those who are struggling with their own parenting challenges.  No one suffers alone in the body of Christ.  No one suffers in vain.  Look for the purpose in your pain and resolve to "comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God" (2 Corinthians 1:4).

If we as Christians will pray without ceasing for our children, encourage one another through these difficult days, and train up our children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6), then I have hope that we will eventually see them return to the God of their youth and follow Him all the days of their lives.

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If you have a question you would like answered from God's Word, please email deedeewike@gmail.com or mail your question to:  Dee Dee Wike, PO Box 193, Collierville, TN 38027-0193.



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