Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. —Proverbs 9:8
What can you do about a family member who seems to be hurtling down a path of destruction? What if teenagers or adult children set their entire focus on friends and freedom and seem to have rejected all common sense and Christlike influences?
Here are four steps to take:
1. Focus on their heart with love and acceptance. If you spar over externals, the battle will be messy and costly. However, if they change from the inside out, the transformation will be beautiful and enduring.
2. Invite them to pray, asking the Lord what He thinks about their decisions and choice of friends.
3. Direct them back to Scripture as their Savior’s standard for living.
4. Pursue a peaceful and patient attitude in prayer.
Our most significant battles are spiritual—they are won or lost on our knees. The Holy Spirit will lead you when to speak, what to say, and when to remain silent.
Everyone wins when you value the relationship more than winning the argument.
What relationship do you need to quit struggling with and give to the Lord?
For the Lᴏʀᴅ your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him (2 Chronicles 30:9).
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