How are you doing as an adult child? Are you loving? Do you prioritize staying connected with your parents and siblings?
Many empty nesters spend their days worrying—over their children’s choices, their well-being, their faith journeys. It’s a common struggle.
Mary DeMuth captures this tension beautifully in her book “Love, Pray, Listen: Parenting Your Wayward Adult Kids With Joy.” She reminds us of a truth we often resist: we cannot control anyone—not even our own children. But what we can do is love them, pray for them, and truly listen.
Jodie Berndt’s book, “Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: Trusting God With the Ones You Love,” echoes the same sentiment. The truth is, whether as parents or as adult children, our role in relationships centers on surrender—offering grace instead of control.
Mother Teresa said it best: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
Think about that. So much wisdom exists to help us live well—through God’s Word, His people, and the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Even Scripture gives us glimpses of messy, dysfunctional families—and God’s grace within them.
Today, I read this:
"When Esau was forty years old, he married two Hittite women—Judith daughter of Beeri and Basemath daughter of Elon. These women brought much sorrow to Isaac and Rebekah.” (Genesis 26:34-35 NCV)
Isaac, the chosen son of Abraham, was part of a family blessed by God—and yet, dysfunction ran deep. Esau’s choices grieved his parents, and Jacob, Isaac’s other son, had his own share of deceit and trouble.
The bottom line? Every family is marked by imperfection. Sin shows up in our selfishness, our lack of love for God and others, our judgments, divisions, and broken communication.
So, let’s turn the mirror on ourselves.
How are we doing as adult children? Are we loving our parents, siblings, and family well? Are we investing wisely in these relationships—not too little, not too much?
And even beyond our earthly family, let’s ask the bigger question: Are we loving, praying, and listening to God?
John 3:16 reminds us of God’s unfathomable love for us: “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life.”
If God loves us this deeply, shouldn’t we crave His guidance, trust His Word, and reflect His love? Yet, how often do we bring heartache to our Heavenly Father?
If you’ve ever felt the pain of an adult child wandering, you can imagine just a glimpse of the heartache He feels for us.
Lord, help us to unite and walk closely with You. Help us live out Mother Teresa’s simple but profound call: “Go home and love your family.” You are our Father—teach us to listen, to follow, and to love others as You love us. Lead us in the way of Jesus. IJNIP Amen. ♥️
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