Confessions for Adult Children

I’m a firm believer in confessions which means ‘saying the same thing as’. In fact, confessing the Word of God, has literally helped me regain my sanity. You see, when I was a baby Christian, I tried to be super spiritual. As a result, I opened myself up to a lot of things, that for time sake, I now know were spiritual, but they weren’t of God. Many years ago, my son had to watch as I went from being a jazzy, well-kept woman, being groomed for an Assistant Vice President position to becoming a homeless, pony-tail-wearing bus rider. Therefore, his perception of God and what God could do meant absolutely nothing to him; simply because of my spiritual failures. Though I’ve already asked both him and God to forgive me, this morning I found myself asking for forgiveness again.

Forgiveness, After the Fact

You see, I regularly make Bible-based confessions over my son. I confess things like, ‘I thank You Lord that my son is walking in the truth, is prudent, full of understanding, uses discretion and is teachable.’ ‘I thank You that he is an example to the believers in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith and purity. That he gives attention to reading, exhortation, and doctrine and that he does not neglect his gift.’ ‘I thank You for that he is confident, has good success, is significant, influential and for teaching him how to rule in the midst of his enemies.’ But this morning, I found myself asking God to forgive me that I was still having to do so. I asked him to forgive me because these are things I should have confessed over his life when he was a child or even in his teens. But due to me doing my thing, I didn’t. Because I was too busy getting high and jumping in and out of everybody’s bed, I found myself being late to do what I should have done for him a long time ago.

Grown Children Still Need You

I share this with you, because as a mother (or father), you too may find yourself feeling guilty. Guilty because there are things you know now that you wished you’d have done for your adult children then. But can I tell you this? It’s never too late. Just because your children are grown, does not mean that you cannot pray and make confessions over them. Look at Mary. She covered her Son. Jesus was 30 when she recognized it was time for Him to begin performing signs. Hence, the wine at the wedding. Your covering and confession for your children doesn’t stop when they hit 18. In fact, with today’s racial climate, it would behoove you to keep them covered.

I said all that to say this. You may be carrying some guilt for the sin and mistakes that you’ve made in the past, that caused you to not be the parent that you are today. Or even worse, may have caused your adult children to want nothing to do with God. That’s okay. As long as you’ve asked God to forgive you, He is protecting and blessing your adult children; in spite of your messes. Continue to pray and make confessions over them until they get to the point where they’re able to make their own.

Pray this with me: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for not being the parent I should have been to (______________). I didn’t know You then like I know You now and as a result, I see (_________________) has suffered as a result. Lord, You said in Ezekiel 17 that the sons would not carry the iniquity of the fathers, and I thank You that mine will no longer carry mine. I’ve confessed it to You and You’ve forgiven me. Now, I ask that the negative impact it had on them be removed and that they become all You created them to be. In Jesus’ name.

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