In most of the cases in the Bible where there were strained relationships, it was prayer and patience that brought the change. Please know that the unrighteous choices that our children make are not a negative reflection on your commitment to righteousness. Forgiveness is the key to mending broken relationships and the compassion to work toward trust and restoration.

God was the best parent ever and His children, Adam and Eve, disobeyed and caused their relationship to be strained. Yet, their unrighteous decision did not keep God from being God. He chose to forgive them and He gave them a plan of restoration. I believe the story of the prodigal son best models the wise behavior when family relationships are strained.

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Luke 15:11-24

What an awesome story that has volumes of wisdom when children go astray. Although the son went away, the fact that the father saw him afar was evident that the son stayed on the father's mind. The son was repentant; the father forgave and restored him back into fellowship. Establishing guidelines and demonstrating love are the keys to reestablishing strong relationships.

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