Living Free - Oct. 9, 2013
Honor Your Parents: Not Worthy
Scripture
"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." - (Romans 5:8 NLT)
Thought for the Day
If you come from a dysfunctional family with strained or damaged relationships, honoring your father and mother may be difficult. They may not seem worthy of honor. You may have a difficult time finding anything honorable about your parents because you have suffered neglect and abuse from them.
You are not to blame for your parents' abuse. God does understand your situation. But God always calls us to forgive—even if the object of our forgiveness is not worthy. Today's scripture reminds us that even though we were unworthy, he loved us enough to send Christ to die for us. How can we do less?
You may not be able to forgive on your own, but God will give you the strength you need. You need to get rid of that unforgiveness because that's God's desire. And because you can never walk in the joy of true freedom until you do. God doesn't want you to carry that pain any longer.
Consider This . . .
Even when you have forgiven, you have some choices to make. Each situation is different. Ask God for wisdom. He still wants you to honor your parents as your parents even if you cannot honor their behavior. Ask him how you should do that.
If trying to make your parents a part of your family life, perhaps even taking them into your home, would be destructive to you and your family, ask God to show you another path. But if there is a healthy opportunity for complete healing of your relationship, ask him to show you the way and give you the strength to pursue it.
Father, help me forgive even as you have forgiven me. And give me the wisdom to know where to go from here. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from …
Caregiving: Caring for Aging Parents by Charles Puchta. The purpose of this curriculum is to provide hope and direction to those concerned about the health and well-being of aging parents or an ill spouse or relative. We address predominate issues most families face. Each session is designed to discuss a specific area of concern such as the purpose of a caregiver or end-of-life planning. It will become clear to participants that the Bible provides encouragement and direction to help them through this caregiving journey. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a study for individuals or couples.
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