Hope for Brokenhearted Grandparents

Many grandparents have broken hearts because their grandchildren are caught up in the trends of the world, alternate belief systems or lifestyles, feel compelled to challenge our faith in Christ. Today, many grandparents are also estranged from their grandchildren and are grieving they cannot have contact with their grandchildren. Prayer is our only hope.

Paul tells us “Share each other’s troubles and problems, and in this way, we obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are fooling yourself; you are really a nobody.” (Galatians 6:2, 3 TLB) God has given us the opportunity to carry each other’s burdens.

Pray for the heartbroken grandparents whose grandchildren are dealing with the following issues:
1. Extremely or terminally ill
2. In drug recovery
3. In rebellion
4. Posted as “missing children.”
5. Flirting with worldly temptations
6. Not walking in truth
7. Do not live in homes that honor Christ as Savior
8. In prison
9. In war zones
10. In a “far country.”
11. Hooked on porn
12. Selfish and arrogant
13. Not in church
14. Dishonoring their parents
15. Regularly neglected or abused in any way

Communicate your prayer support to grieving grandparents by sending an email, calling them on the telephone, a text message or sending a written note to let them know you are praying for them. It will bless and encourage them to know you are praying for them. God will bless you for your obedience of sharing their heavy heart.

If you are a brokenhearted grandparent, I want to share Romans 8:26-28 with you which I have found helpful for myself. I have learned that the Holy Spirit intercedes for me when I don’t know how to pray for them. The Holy Spirit knows the needs of my grandchildren and their parents, so I ask him to intercede for me according to his will. It keeps me from giving God my agenda of how I want Him to answer my prayer. It also provides me peace while He is in the process of answering my prayer.

Grandparents participating in the Grandparents@Prayer intercessory prayer groups often tell me that this is why they like their Grandparents@Prayer G@P group. They appreciate a place to share their heavy heart and know others are helping them carry the load by praying for their concern for their grandchild.

To learn how you can be a part of a G@P group go to https://christiangrandparenting.net/grandparents-at-prayer. You may also email Sherry Schumann. sherry@christiangrandparenting.net

Dear Father,

I pray you will be with the broken-hearted and estranged grandparents
because they don’t have the privilege to have a part in the lives of their grandchildren.
It is hard when their grandchildren and their parents are not walking with the Lord, and the grandchildren are not being taught about Jesus and his love for them.
I pray that you will encourage the brokenhearted grandparents and give them wisdom for them to know how to reach out to their grandchildren when they feel rejected.
Thank you, Lord, for encouraging them and give them peace as they struggle through these issues. In Jesus’ name.

By Lillian Penner, Co-Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network, lpenner@gmail.com