Loving Your Rebellious Child

Unconditional love is so very difficult, but it makes a world of difference in a parent/child relationship.

Our relationship with our children should be a reflection of the relationship Christ has with us. Paul writes that God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) God has loved us and continues to love us in spite of how we act.

So in your own home, work on being consistent with your love. You can love your child whether they are behaving or misbehaving. You can express empathy with your rebellious child and still stick to your rules. You can let a child know you know it is hard to make wise choices, and you can remind them rules are not going to change just because they are hard to keep. Love isn’t synonymous with approval, moms. You can love a child even when they are not obeying the rules or when they have made a choice you disapprove of.

What is the secret to loving like this? Prayer. Moms, we have to always, always, be in prayer. The book, The Power of a Praying Mom, is a fantastic resource that offers specific words and Scriptures you can pray. Pray that God would show you what love looks like when your child is walking in rebellion. Pray that God would open their eyes to their situation, and pray that they would start seeing God’s great love for them. Pray that through it all, you would be able to express unconditional love to them just as God has done for you.