A Prayer for Your Teen’s Faith
By Kristine Brown
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1)
It’s every parent’s worry. How does my child continue trusting God when today's culture teaches him to question his faith? I discussed this topic with my teen. His fresh perspective gave me renewed hope.
Our open conversation uncovered three practical things parents can do to help our teens keep the faith in an increasingly faithless world. Let’s learn together how to help our teens stay grounded in unshakeable faith, even in the midst of the madness.
It’s not about controlling what they see, but controlling what they see in you.
Our teens may not always listen to what we say, but they will absorb every detail of our actions. Are we displaying Christ-like character at home? Are we treating others with unconditional love and kindness? Do we rely on God’s Word in times of trouble?
God designed us to shine His light. Our kids will learn most about what it means to be a Christ-follower from watching our example.
Listen, even when you dread what they might say.
I want my kids to feel comfortable coming to me with their deepest thoughts and greatest fears, but I don’t always act like it. I need to create an atmosphere of trust – a safe place to share burdens.
When we teach them about God at home, His comforting peace will stay with them as they go about their daily lives. Let’s pray our home will be a place of praising God and receiving His peace. Each day, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to abide there. His presence will provide that safe place for them to speak and strength for us to listen.
Remind him often who God says he is.
God’s Word is alive, powerful, and true. Just hearing Scripture spoken can revive hurting hearts and refresh tired bodies. We would never intentionally deprive our kids of the benefits of hearing what God says about them. Yet so often we let busy schedules get in the way of proclaiming God’s goodness to our teens.
If my child has any questions about how God sees him, this verse makes it clear. Sharing this promise with my teen will give him confidence in who he is – a child of the Creator of the universe.
Please pray with me:
Dear Father, thank you for our children. Thank you for loving them even more than we do, and for calling them out of darkness into your wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) They see a world of confusion. They hear messages condemning their beliefs. Yet Your Word is more powerful than any negativity that comes their way. Help them keep their faith in You, Lord. Give us wisdom to guide them as they grow into the mighty men and women you created them to be.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Editor’s Note: Content taken from “How to Help Your Teen Keep the Faith in a Faithless World” by Kristine Brown. You can read that piece in full here. All rights reserved.
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
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