Recently, I received an email from a grandmother who was asking me to pray with her because she was estranged from her granddaughter. Her heart is broken, finding it very difficult to deal with the situation, like many grandparents do today.
When we reach the mid-life years of our lives we look forward to becoming grandparents and very excited when our first grandchild is born and the grandchildren that follow. However, today there are many grandparents with broken hearts because they are estranged from their grandchildren.
Being estranged from your grandchildren often results in many negative emotions. Sorting out exactly what you are feeling and trying to develop an approach for dealing with your feelings can be vital for your health, both mental and physical. You will feel anguish as long as the separation lasts.
When grandparents are estranged from their grandchildren, it is best to pray for them and ask God to show them how they can show love to them, being very careful with their communication.
Don’t give up, God is still answering prayers, often it is not on our timetable, so we have to ask for patience to wait until He is ready to answer. God’s timing is best, but often we have to wait in God’s waiting room while He is working in the hearts of our grandchildren and their parents.
I have found the Scripture verses in Romans 8:26-28 very helpful when I don’t know how to pray for my grandchildren and their parents. Paul writes, “The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us when we don’t know how to pray.” When I ask the Holy Spirit to make intercession for me according to God’s will, it keeps me from telling God how to answer my prayer, which I love to do. Ask the Holy Spirit to make intercession for your estrangement letting him carry the burden instead of you giving him your agenda.
Here are a couple of suggestions for estranged grandparents:
- Don’t stop trying to keep in touch. Send cards and letters to your grandchildren keeping the tone of any communication loving but light.
- Pray intentionally and regularly, for your grandchildren and their parents, asking God to give you wisdom how to approach the situation.
My Prayer for Estranged Grandparents
Dear Father, I pray that you will give the estranged grandparents
wisdom how to approach their separation from their grandchildren.
I pray your Holy Spirit will make intercession for them allowing you
to carry our your agenda in your timing for their healing.
Encourage them and give them peace as they intentionally pray
and patiently wait for the parents to allow them
to be a part of their lives again.
In Jesus’ name. Amen
John 10:10
Jesus said to his disciples, “The thief comes to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have abundant life.”1 Let’s pray the parents of our grandchildren will not to be distracted and overwhelmed by the influence of the world hostile to the truth.
By Lillian Penner
National Prayer Director
Christian Grandparenting Network
lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net
Lillian Penner is the author of Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren, the National Prayer Coordinator for Christian Grandparenting Network, speaker, and blogger. She has been active in church ministry for over fifty seven years. Lillian and her husband, John, currently reside in Portland, Oregon; have three sons and nine grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. They enjoy spending time with their family, traveling and listening to Southern Gospel music. They both were raised in Christian homes and desire to pass on their godly heritage to their future generations.
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