Raising Children in the Lord

Have you wondered why so many of our adult children in this age show a great deal of disrespect and dishonor at the slightest hint of correction or instruction. Many of you did your best to raise your children in the Lord, even with all your flaws, your heart was bent toward the principles of God. Continually being criticized and maligned by the culture and extended family around you for the effort, over the years there was the frustration of watching the children begin to, if not continuing all along, rejecting God's principles, perhaps even having a "form of religion" without true godliness. The children went with the culture, the ungodly teachers, the unsaved extended family and even rebellious spouses, often those who claimed to be Christian would undermine our decision to raise the children in the Lord.
 
Were you the fanatic in the family, continually mocked and demeaned because of your attempts to bring Biblical sense to the children's training? If this is your story, then you are not alone, many have encountered this. When the culture works against us, more times than not, the children will go with their culture and ungodly family to fit in, to be accepted by the mob. It is far more enticing to enjoy the acceptance of the world and all it's pleasures than to swim up stream against the current. 
 
We know that when we swim upstream, as the salmon do to lay their eggs and die, we will be battered and bruised by those who will not adhere to good Biblical principles. Most people who say they are "Christians" today, identify themselves as such, not because Christ has done a saving work in their heart, but because they follow certain cultural rules and go to church on a regular basis. Their depth of knowledge about the Bible is minimal, although some have a lot of knowledge about the Bible, they lack the wisdom to carry out what they know, their "wisdom" is tainted by the world's false wisdom.

When we resolve to raise our children in the Lord, we can expect rejection, isolation, mocking and triangulation (gossip to turn others against us). 2 Timothy 3:1-5 clearly describes what we are up against, all our best efforts to resolve matters are thwarted by those who love their sin and refuse to listen or even discuss important matters.
 
Narcissists are very often resistant to discussion because they need to feel they are in control of others, if they engage in a dialogue to discern the problem and the solution, they will not be interested because they have no control over what someone else is going to do or say. Often they refuse to dialogue, even lying to claim nothing is wrong when all their covert manipulations prove they are angry about something. It is impossible to have a quality relationship with those who will not hear and often will not respond when asked to clarify things.
 
The answer to all this mess? Pray, pray and pray more, not only for those who are rebellious, but also for our spiritual growth through it, that we not allow ourselves to be manipulated into ungodly responses, the very goal of those who are in rebellion. When we learn to observe, as the angels do, without engaging the rebellious, we can allow the Holy Spirit to be the One to speak through us. He is far more powerful than we are and knows exactly what the rebellious heart needs. Please forget all that psychology taught you that was not Biblical and read God's Word to find the answer to our responses, while relying on the Holy Spirit to take over all that we must do or say.

https://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/80-385/Parents-Do-Not-Provoke-Your-Children