Why is it that sometimes the family is the last one to support God’s calling on your life? I well remember taking teens to a Christian camp and bringing them home so full of decisions for the Lord. They would get away from all the distractions of the world where they could think and be in an atmosphere of Christian teaching, Christian fellowship, and the preaching of God’s word. There would be alone time each morning with God, where the whole camp would shut down for an hour, and all over campus, people would be sitting under trees, in their rooms, in a corner of the auditorium, or on a couch in the game room, studying the devotion for the day. Afterward, they would come back together with their cabin leader and group, to discuss what they had learned. There were no cell phones, radios, or television to snatch time. It was a fun-filled, worship-packed, time where everything done sought to bring glory to God. Young people were listening to God, and lives were changed. Some would look deep into themselves and find areas that were sinful and they would pray and forsake the sin. Several would surrender to full-time service to God and the call of ministry for their lives. It was a week dedicated to drawing close to God.
James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.”
Now for Satan’s attack! When we would arrive home parents and siblings would meet us with great excitement. Everyone was excited to hear what God had done in the lives of our young people. Parents were always excited to hear their child had repented of being disobedient to them. However, many were not excited their young people wanted to follow God in full-time ministry or give up the kind of music and friends they had. Here comes the problem. The child had fully surrendered to God, but it wasn’t what the parent wanted for the child. As the child tried to please the parent they knew they were not pleasing God. Disobeying in one area caused them to pull away from God because it was painful to deal with the conviction of going back on a decision, God had placed in their heart. Therefore, the young person did not go back to the way things were before, they became worse than before. All because the family did not support and encourage their decision for Christ. Some patted them on the back thinking it was a phase and they would get over it, and they did because they were not getting Biblical support. They got over wanting and needing to please God. Many walked away from God, and to my knowledge have not returned as of today.
II Peter 2:20-21 “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
On the other hand, we had many who had great support and those young people’s lives were changed forever. Isn’t that the way it is supposed to be? Those who had the right kind of support flourished. I remember one young lady who loved God and was planning to enter a secular college almost immediately after we returned home. She was to go to freshman orientation on Monday after we arrived home on Saturday. Fees had been paid and the plans were in motion. Her best friend would also be attending that University. It was doubly hard for this young lady to go back and tell her family and friends that her plans had changed. She felt God wanted her to go to a Christian University. A lot of parents would have made her go on to the University where she had paid fees, but thank God her Mom and Step-Dad wanted her to follow God. Money was not the most important thing to them. Quickly plans were made to take her Monday to the Christian University to explore her possibilities. Her Mom and I took her, of course, Mom also wanted to know about this place. It was a whirlwind trip, but the result was that she enrolled and graduated from that University. She met the love of her life there, and after graduation, they were married. She is currently a missionary to Barrigada, Guam where she and her husband have served since their marriage in 2010. I can only imagine what her life would be like had her family said, “No you are not going to a Christian college, you’ll go where we have already planned.” Her life would have been totally different. Would she have still been a Christian? Only God knows if she would have continued to follow Him, but one thing is for sure she would not be in the center of God’s will for her life. The peace and contentment only God can give to His children that obey would not have been hers. Everything in her life would have been 2nd best to what God planned for her.
It’s summer camp time again in most states. This same scenario will play out all over the world. Young people will be going off to a Christian camp and God will speak. Some parents will support their new decisions and hold them accountable for those decisions. They will make it as easy to keep those decisions as possible. Some will choose to give up outside activities that cause them to miss church services, some parents will support them, and others will say they need to keep their commitment to the outside activity first, whether it is work or play. Wait a minute, doesn’t God come first? Aren’t we supposed to be living for eternities’ sake? Maybe I’m confused. I thought what God impressed on us should be first. For those who aren’t supported things will not change. They may get worse and seek worldly things, or determine church is boring and tune God out. The only way they know how to deal with conviction is to give in or tune out. If they are not obeying what God has already told them they tune out. They become a Christian that lives out of habit, not love. Parents usually don’t support them because the change will bring conviction upon them, and they don’t want to change!
Which parent will you be? Supportive, trying to find out all you can about the services, lessons, and application God laid on their heart? Will you hold them accountable for what they learned? Or, do you take the attitude, they’ll get over it, and ask mostly about the fun time and people there? Will you carry on your activities as if they just had a little vacation, and go on as before? You have a great opportunity before you don’t blow it! Change for all of us as we walk as a Christians is vital.
