Are you estranged from your grandchildren?

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 developing 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.

God is still answering prayers, often it is not on our timetable, and so we have to ask God for patience to wait until He is ready to answer. Sometimes, we have to wait in His waiting room while He is working in the hearts of our grandchildren and their parents. God’s timing is best. 

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:

1. Don’t stop trying to keep in touch. Send cards and letters to your grandchildren keeping the tone of any communication loving but light.
2. Pray intentionally and regularly for your grandchildren and their parents. If you don’t know how to pray for them sign up to receive my blog regularly and I will send you “31 Scriptures to Pray for your Grandchildren” which you can download without cost and print.    

I have found uniting in prayer with other grandparents for my grandchildren is a special blessing for me. It’s a safe place to share my concerns for my grandchildren as they are growing up in our post-Christian culture. 

We now have many G@P intercessory groups meeting in the U.S., Philippines, Canada and South Africa, in retirement Centers, schools, churches, and homes.  We would like to see the number of G@P groups grow. Some of the groups meet weekly, some twice a month or once a month, whatever the group desires.   

I want to challenge you to ask God whom He would like you to ask to pray with you for each other’s grandchildren. Ask your friends, church senior group, neighbors, family members or whomever. 

To learn more go to https://christiangrandparenting.net/grandparents-at-prayer read about how to sign up to participate. You may also email sherry@christiangrandparenting.net 

The legacy of a praying grandparent will live on forever.

By Lillian Penner, Co-prayer Director, Christian Grandparenting Network, lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

Prayer

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

Lillian Penner, Prayer Director, Christian Grandparenting Network, penner@christiangrandparenting.net