Good morning, By My Side friends.
Welcome to the month of September. Back to school. Back to work. September is often a month of new motivations, new goals, and new priorities. This month, I want to reflect upon a topic that is so dear to my heart, but I have never spoken about in a monthly post. It is praying for our children to discover Jesus. This may be a goal for you this September.
As practising Christian and Catholic parents, one of the deepest desires of our hearts is to see our children know and love Jesus and discover the gift of faith for themselves. When we cannot guide their choices or their journey, we can place them lovingly in God’s hands and trust in the power of prayer, asking Jesus to draw their hearts closer to Him.
For a parent walking through separation and divorce, one of the deepest heartaches can be wondering how your children will be affected—not only by the brokenness they may witness, but by their relationship with God. When we cannot protect them from every hurt or choose their path of faith for them, we can place them into Jesus’ loving hands and pray with confidence that He will pursue their hearts, meet them where they are, and lead them home to Him. We love them so deeply and long for them to experience the peace, forgiveness, hope, and new life that we have found in Christ.
And sometimes, the waiting can feel very long. We may wonder, “Are my prayers making any difference? Will my child ever come to know Jesus?” But don’t confuse waiting with hopelessness. Remember this: You are not the Saviour of your children. Jesus is. You do not have to carry the fear that their eternity depends on your performance. What a beautiful truth that is, and what a relief that can be. Their relationship with God does not depend on you saying everything perfectly, having the right conversation, or finding the words that will change their hearts.
Your role is simply to love, pray, share your faith when the opportunity comes, and trust Jesus with the rest. Scripture tells us that God desires all people to develop an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus through prayer and to come to know the truth. You don’t have to convince God to care about your children. He already does. He knows their names, their stories, their questions, their wounds, and every place in their hearts that may be keeping them from Him.
So keep praying.
You never know what God is doing beneath the surface. A conversation you thought they dismissed may stay with them. A moment of kindness may soften their heart. A prayer you have offered for years may bear fruit in a way you cannot see.
And while you wait, let your children experience the love of Jesus through you. Listen to them. Be present. Laugh with them. Love them without making your affection conditional on whether they respond to faith the way you hope they will. They don’t need to feel like a project–they need to know they are loved.
And don’t let what you see today become a prophecy over tomorrow. Someone who seems completely uninterested in God can encounter Jesus in a single moment and see everything differently. So, if you have been praying for a child, a grandchild, or someone you love for years, don’t give up. Keep praying–not out of fear, but out of hope. Pray for peace. Pray for their hearts to be open. Pray that they will encounter Jesus in a way that is uniquely their own.
The same grace that found you is more than able to find them.
Rest in the Saviour who loves your children more than you do. And trust that He is still at work–even when you cannot see it.
Have a blessed and grace-filled month, By My Side friends. And may your prayers for your children and loved ones bring you to a place of eternal joy.
Love,
MJ. Xo
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