Welcome to the House of Hope! I’m Pastor Dewey Moede of For God’s Glory Alone Ministries!
As a parent, you are not God and not in control of the universe, let alone the mind and heart of another human being, even if that person happens to be your child. Your emerging adult kids are individuals who do things for their own reasons. They are responsible for their own choices.
Parenting, even Christian parenting, is messy work with unpredictable results. A wayward child is part of the struggle that comes with living in a broken world; it is not an indictment of your character.
Carrying the weight of guilt over parental missteps or failure will not help you be a better parent in the future. Use your energy to love your son or daughter now—in the present.
Misplaced guilt and shame often show up in exactly the wrong place. If you feel you must “shun” your child, even unofficially, you may well be reacting out of your own frustration at your perceived failure. There is a good chance the shunning will make things worse.
A large theme in our Christian journeys is learning to ask for and receive forgiveness. If we have failed our kids (as we all have), God expects us to repent, not to wallow in guilt. He expects us to go to him, asking for insight regarding the path forward.
