Letting Go of Guilt
Author:
January 09, 2019
“But while he was still a long
way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to
his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” – Luke 15:20, NIV
Mary was diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis in the late summer. A few weeks later, her husband asked for a
divorce and moved in with another woman. As Mary grappled with these sudden
changes in her life, she didn’t notice that small electronics were disappearing
from her home or the cash that was no longer in her wallet.
With all of the stress, she
blamed her faulty memory. It wasn’t until the police showed up to arrest her
teenage son that she put the pieces together. Her boy, Doug, had become
addicted to pain pills and he was breaking into other homes in the area to pay
for the drugs.
Mary was crushed. She blamed
herself for Doug’s problems. She kept thinking over his childhood, trying to
figure out where she went wrong. Finally, she asked a friend for advice. “What
did I do? Was I not kind enough to him? Did I ignore him when he was a boy?”
Mary’s friend listened to her
questions. Then her friend quietly said, “God is the perfect parent. Sometimes,
His children make bad decisions. But that’s not a reflection on Him. You can’t
force your children to make wise choices.”
If you’ve been struggling with
a child who’s rebellious or doing drugs, it isn’t your fault. You don’t have to
carry the shame or guilt.
God, please help me. I’m tormented by my prodigal’s
choices. Please bring this wayward child back to You. Let there be freedom from
addiction and healing where they need it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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