What To Do With A Prodigal

Do you have a prodigal in your life? Someone you’ve nurtured and loved, and they’ve turned their back on God and now they have no desire to live for Him or come back to church. I know here at Calvary Baptist Church we have seen and are currently dealing with our fair share of prodigals. So what do you do when these have broken your hearts and gone away from what has been taught and preached to them for years?

1.    Pray for them: The first step in winning back a prodigal is to pray for them. In Luke 15:17-18, the prodigal son comes to his senses and decides to return to his father's house. This shows that God can work in a prodigal's heart to bring them back. So, we should pray for the prodigal, asking God to soften their heart and draw them back to Himself.

2.    Show them love: When the prodigal son returned, his father welcomed him back with open arms, showing him love and compassion (Luke 15:20-24). We should do the same with the prodigal in our lives. Even if they have hurt us or made poor choices, we should show them love and grace.

3.    Avoid being judgmental: In Luke 15:29-30, the older brother complains to his father about the prodigal's return, and his words are full of bitterness and judgment. When we are trying to win back a prodigal, it's important to avoid being judgmental or critical of their choices. Instead, we should show them love and understanding, and try to build a relationship of trust with them. This will help us to communicate with them in a way that is effective and respectful, and will increase the chances of them being open to hearing our message.

4.    Speak truth to them: The father in the parable does not shy away from speaking truth to his son. He reminds him of the love and blessings he has always had (Luke 15:31-32). Similarly, we should speak truth to the prodigal in our lives, gently reminding them of the consequences of their choices and the blessings that come from living a life pleasing to God.

5.    Offer forgiveness: The prodigal son asks for forgiveness from his father, and the father freely offers it (Luke 15:21-24). We should also offer forgiveness to the prodigal in our lives, just as God has forgiven us.

6.    Be patient: The prodigal son did not return to his father's house immediately after leaving. It took time for him to come to his senses and make the decision to return (Luke 15:17-18). We should be patient with the prodigal in our lives, recognizing that the process of returning to God is not always easy or quick.

7.    Rejoice with them: When the prodigal son returned, his father threw a party to celebrate his return (Luke 15:22-24). We should also rejoice with the prodigal in our lives when they return to God. We should celebrate their decision and encourage them in their journey of faith.

If this is your situation don’t lose faith! Remember what Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Refrain from being cruel or critical and continue to be that loving example of Christ to them.