Prayer For Those Who Make Bad Choices
I was recently talking with a friend about the bad choices our kids make sometimes. We talked about how it breaks our hearts as parents to have to not only see them make bad choices but then to have to watch them experience the consequences. Then we discussed how similar God must feel when He has to do this with us when we make bad choices. I remembered journaling about this very thing several years back. I went back through my journals, and here is what I had written:
August 3, 2010
A Good But Just Parent…
My sister and I were just talking tonight about how I was frustrated with my kids lately. They seem to be misbehaving a little more than usual. I think they may be having a bit of cabin fever. Summer is nearly over and school is going to start soon. We haven’t been able to do as many of our usual activities as I would like due to the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing. It’s been miserable to do outside activities like the zoo, Big Splash, the pool, the park, golf, etc. Anyhow, I’ve been planning and wanting to do some fun stuff with them before the summer gets out, but it never fails that when I have a fun activity planned, they misbehave. I end up canceling and postponing our fun. I don’t really want to reward them when they’re behavior is bad, but at the same time it makes me so sad because I really want to do nice things for them and fun things with them. All of a sudden I had the thought, “I bet God feels like this sometimes.” It made me laugh because of how true it was. How many times has God wanted to bless us or do nice things for us, and we’ve just tied his hands? As much as we love and want to bless our children, our heavenly Father wants to do even more for us.
“So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:11 (NLT)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
He’s a better parent than we are, yet still very just. Our sin separates us from God. His hands are tied by OUR wrongdoing.
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 (NIV)
“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing…” Habakkuk 1:13a (NIV)
We need to rid our lives of sin and be obedient to God’s word. In return, God can shower us with blessings. God’s will is to bless those who do right. God wants more for us than we can ask or even imagine for ourselves. Our job is to obey and follow his guidance and directions and to make good choices, not bad choices.
“You bless all those who follow your commands from deep in their hearts.” Psalm 119:2 (CEV)
“Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.” Psalm 106:3 (NIV)
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 (NIV)
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20 (NIV)
We have to make choices, between good and bad/life and death, every day. Who we are depends on the choices we make. We are also where we are now because of the choices we have made in the past. The choices we make will determine the circumstances we end up with in our future. Our choices will hold responsibility and consequences. We will be held accountable for the choices we make. We are not victims. We are not a product of our environment–We are a product of our choices. So how can we help people we care about that are making bad choices?
