Image courtesy of Daniel St. Pierre/freedigitalphotos.net
But what about my daughter Lord?
This was the thought going through my mind at the Cleansing Stream retreats this season. Here I was, serving others, helping them to be set free, when my daughter was going the wrong way.
Something happened while she was in the church internship, not sure exactly what it was that caused this attitude in her. But she couldn’t wait for it to end. She complained that she didn’t get out of it what she wanted.
My husband and I saw something different. We saw that she hadn’t engaged fully, that she hadn’t put in all that she could have, and therefore, didn’t receive all that much out of it, though she did grow.
But then…something happened.
A boy from middle school showed back up in her life. This boy had not been a good influence on her. Whenever she was around him she turned sullen, and her attitude stank. We were so glad when we thought she’d outgrown him, and talked about how controlling he had been. We thought she’d seen the light.
But now, here he was again. Right at the time she’d been hurt and wounded by something that happened at church.
Long story short, it seems as if my twenty year old daughter has turned her back on everything we’ve taught her, everything she stood for, and is now living with this boy in a trailer outside his grandmother’s house.
I have been devastated, heartbroken, angry, judgmental, fearful, pretending to myself I don’t care when really I do, I just don’t want to cry anymore. She’s not the same person she was. I don’t know this girl…anyone that hears of what’s happening has the same reaction, “That doesn’t sound like her.”
And it’s true, it doesn’t.
So this season, I was still joyful to see other people be set free and to work with them and have a part in it, but in the back of my mind, I still wondered, Lord, what about my daughter?
I had received comfort and hope in prayer, but one morning as I was walking down the stairs, with a load of laundry in my hands, not in prayer… just going about my daily business, I heard Him, plain as day in my spirit.
I am going to do a mighty work in your daughter.
I know the feeling–about doing so much for others when it seems like your own are being left out of the very blessings we pray for others. God is so awesome–He’ll work it out in His timing and He’ll be glorified in the result. Stay in faith!
Thank you. He is awesome, and I know He will. I just wish it was yesterday… 🙂 Be Blessed, and Merry Christmas!
And He will do that work in your daughter, Carolyn. I have seen Him do it in mine when I was distraught watching them seemingly go in the opposite direction and then He showed up in each of their lives to deal with them as individuals just like He dealt with me. The thing I found I had to remember was that I couldn’t live their lives for them, even when it hurt so badly watching them go through their own learning process, but I could trust Him to do in them what only He could do…..and He did. He will do that for your daughter as well. You can trust Him with her.
God bless!
Thank you Avie, your comment is so encouraging to me. God Bless you!
You’re welcome! Thank you, Carolyn!
Carolyn God will use her time of rebellion to bring Him glory down the road. She will eventually be able to minister to others in ways a non-rebel never could. I’ve been where you are and have seen God do a miracle in my son’s life. He is now being used mightily in ways I never could be. Keep on praying and though it may take some time, He is faithful! Blessings on you!
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. They really do mean so much to me. Blessings on you as well! Carolyn