Chuck McConkey
June 11, 2014
First we define what a prodigal is. The story can be found in Luke 15. This is an example of what we will call tough love.
When you have a prodigal what happens
- Shock and disbelief,
- Negotiation.
- You want to fix it.
Tough Love - simply refusing to enable your child to practice dangerous or harmful behavior.
There is nothing shameful in doing this to your child. It is shameful to allow the behavior to continue.
Tough love is not being mean to them. Adolph Hitler had this kind of tough love. It is more making sure that they are responsible for their own actions.
Just as God gives us free will we have to give our children a chance to make a mistake and live with the consequences.
What is our job in raising a prodigal? If you let them come back into your life you must set up boundaries for what is to happen in their relationship to you and the household. If this is not done, then they will wind up controlling your life.
Rainbows - Noah saw one after the flood after the problems.
Ezekiel saw one when he was in the middle of the battle.
John saw one in revelation as he was preparing to go into problems
Each was a sign that God was going through the problems with us.
Let's take the rainbow back as a promise from God.
When we go through this we are going through a crisis.
Learn to deal with the loss. Put a marker in your life, realize life will not be what you want it to be and you have to give up the dream that you had. Deal with it and learn to move on.
Learn how to express your feelings.
Find good friends to help you through the situation.
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