Five Ways and Reasons to Trust God with Your Prodigal

Trusting God through the pain and uncertainty of a prodigal child’s spiritual wandering, finding peace in His faithfulness along the way.

 “From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.”
Psalm 18:6

My eyes filled with tears as the words left my daughter’s mouth. They were words I’d been waiting to hear for seven years. Words of assurance that my precious daughter had returned to the faith of her childhood.

3 John 1:4 states “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” It’s true.

Nothing brings my heart greater joy than to see evidence of genuine faith in the lives of my children. But there is a flipside to this truth that invokes an equally powerful emotion. There is no greater sorrow for Christian parents than knowing our children are not walking in the truth.  

It was clear to me when this trial began that the battle belonged to the Lord. My efforts were futile, and my words seemed to make matters worse. I felt God clearly direct my heart to Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God.”  As I waited, I pleaded with God daily to intervene in my daughter’s life, to protect her in the interim, and to draw her heart back to Him.

Then the morning came when she professed sincere, well-tested, genuine faith in Jesus Christ. My heart was flooded with gratitude for all God had done. But I also experienced some regret. Regret for the moments in that battle when I wallowed in unbelief, wrestled with God and was convinced my prayers would never be answered.

Finding Peace in the Waiting

If you are currently engaged in a spiritual battle, pleading with the Lord for the life and faith of your child, I’d like to encourage you by sharing a few things God revealed to me in the sorrow that lasted through the night and the joy that came in the morning.

1. God hears and answers your prayers-even when you don’t see it. When my daughter confessed her re-commitment to Christ, I opened my Bible and showed her some of the verses I’d prayed for her. With tears running down both our cheeks, she told me God answered EVERY single one of those prayers. She recounted specific events, conversations where God placed people in her life, and a billboard outside a hotel room with the exact verse I prayed for her regularly. God answers prayers outside of our vision.
   
2. The battle is spiritual and must be fought with spiritual weapons. Psalm 18 became a chapter I regularly prayed for my daughter. The truth conveyed in that Psalm reveals a God who reaches down from heaven to rescue us from enemies that overpower us. Only God can remove veils that blind us, break chains that bind us and replace our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. Turn every truth found in His Word into a prayer for your prodigal.
   
3. Be still and know that He is God. None of us like being told to be still, especially when it comes to our children. Yet, time and time again in Scripture we see a period of waiting before God answers prayers. The only reasonable explanation for this is there is purpose in the waiting. Anything that causes us to fully depend on the Lord strengthens our faith. Waiting produces surrender and trust -both essential elements to our faith.
   
4. Don’t trust your feelings, trust the Truth. Our hearts are deceitful, and our feelings fluctuate. If our trust in God depends on how we feel, we will constantly be tossed around on seas of doubt. Spiritual battles are exhausting, and in our weakness, we are prone to believe lies, either from the enemy or from our own hearts. Only Truth (found in God’s Word) can combat those lies. Call the lies what they are, and cling to God’s Truth daily.
   
5. Rest in the fact that God loves you– not just your child, but you. Oh sweet friends, I can’t tell you the amount of times I repeated the cycle of self-condemnation while this battle raged. I was sure I was personally responsible for my daughter’s rebellion. But our gracious God constantly and tenderly revealed to me His steadfast, unchanging love. There is no such thing as a perfect parent. There is no condemnation for those in Christ. The cross covers our iniquities so leave your self-accusations there. Give yourself grace. Rest in His love for both you and your child. It is ceaseless, boundless and unconditional.

In His Word

Psalm 18 and Psalm 46 were verses I clung to and prayed through regularly. They tell of God’s power to rescue, his personal care for his children, our instructions to be still while he works AND to behold the works of the Lord. I was “still” for seven years and now I am shouting from the rooftops, beholding the works of the Lord!

In Your Life

Are you currently struggling with waiting on God to answer a prayer? What specific steps can you take today to trust Him more fully during this season? Consider one Scripture verse to hold onto daily as a reminder of His faithfulness. How might you surrender your fears to God and rest in His love for both you and your child, even when the outcome remains unseen?

We Recommended

When your child turns away from the faith, it can feel overwhelming and isolating. These books have provided comfort and guidance during difficult times, offering hope and practical steps for parents walking this road.

Prayers for Prodigals: 90 Days of Prayer for Your Child is a daily devotional that brings peace and strength to weary hearts. Through daily prayers, scriptural reflections, and real-life encouragement, this book reminds parents that God’s power is at work even when circumstances seem unchanged, fostering a spirit of perseverance in prayer.

Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: Trusting God with the Ones You Love offers biblically based prayers and encouraging stories tailored for parents of adult children. Author Jodie Berndt shares practical advice and prayers that guide parents through various challenges, helping them find confidence and peace in God’s promises as they navigate the complexities of their children’s lives.

Let’s Connect

Brenda is the Director of Women’s Ministry at her church in Casper, Wyoming. She has a passion for helping women navigate the seasons of life that are both bitter and sweet by knowing the truth found in God’s Word and clinging to Jesus Christ. If you’d like to read more from Brenda, you can find her at Women of the Way, on Instagram, or on Facebook.