Caring For Your Rebel Teen

If you might be one of those parents with a rebellious kid, please take heart. God knows what you will be going through, In reality, He told us the way to handle this dilemma in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, which shows us that even God - a perfect Father - has youngsters who rebel. But notice He is not having an anxiety attack, nor is He beating himself up, You should not either.

If you might be in the midst of your kid's rebellion, here are some things to help you through this trend.

1. Utilize the power of prayer.
We could help prepare the young person's heart, however it is God who is going to modify it. Pray for your child every day, and don't be embarrassed to bring in others to pray for him.

2. Look for his forgiveness for ways you may have failed him.
Get rid of any obstacle that would block him from moving toward forgiveness himself.

3. Let implications do their work.
To the best of your capacity, let him face the results of his judgements. Resist the urge to intervene; you do not want to stop the process of repentance.

4. Consider the Bible.
At times the line gets hairy between maintaining a tender heart and allowing implications to happen. Then you need to lean on God for divine wisdom. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it is going to be given to him."

5. Don't add anger to his rebellion.
Retain all lines of communication open. Enjoy interaction with him beyond your times you are forced to contend with his rebellious attitude. Supply him with plenty of reasons to believe you not only still love him, but in addition enjoy his company and possess confidence in his future.

6. Do not let your rebellious child damage your other relationships.
At times rebellion requires that you put restrictions in your life so the situation doesn't detrimentally affect your other children or your marital relationship.

7. Ensure the rebel knows he has space to repent.
He needs to believe your door is always open. Like the prodigal, your rebellious child must have confidence that if or when he comes to his senses, you do have a place for him at your table, in addition to your heart.

8. Be keen for God to use you to help other folks.
Be there to help other folks going through comparable problems. As 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us, "Praise be to the God and Father %u201A%u0136 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have obtained from God."

9. Make your life more desirable.
Supply the prodigal a purpose to want to turn around. You do not want to exemplify the things that may have turned him off to faith. Show him what a radiant grace-based faith looks like. Don't be busy with persuasive him that Christians are right. Instead, demonstrate that Christians are good. Let him see that within your goodness is an tremendous capacity to forgive him when he finally gets tired of running from God.

10. Don't throw in the towel.
One never knows when someone's heart will turn around.

Here is a good prayer for parents with kids:

Most loving Father, the example of parenthood, teach us what to give
and what to withhold. Show us when to reprove and when to praise.
Make us gentle and considerate yet firm and watchful.
Keep us from weak indulgence, or from great severity.
Give us the courage to be disliked sometimes by our children,
when we must do necessary things which are displeasing to their eyes.
Give us the imagination to enter into their world
in order to understand and guide them.
Give us all the virtues we need to lead them by word and example
in the path of righteousness.

Amen.

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Thank you and God bless!

John Hartford