Philippians 4:6 says: ” do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ” (ESV).
Matthew 6:6 says: ” But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. ” (ESV).
God has promised us that he hears us, and even will reward us. He doesn’t give us a timeline, just the instructions to pray, and the promise that He does hear us. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 we read ” pray without ceasing” (ESV). We are to keep on praying.
So, with that in mind, how do we pray for our kids? Especially those who have addiction issues. We pray without ceasing. I know that sometimes it seems like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling, but know that God is listening! He will answer you, in HIS time. Beth and I have prayed countless times for our son, and still continue to pray for him. We don’t know when He will answer, we only know that He is listening, and that He cares, and that He will answer.
So what should our prayers look like? Well, because of the lifestyle choices of an addict, they are often not safe, so I always pray for protection over my son. I often pray that God will protect him from himself. I also pray that God will release him from the chains of addiction. And I also pray that he will focus on God, and turn his heart to Him.
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