Helping Our Children Grieve Well
“Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.” Psalm 31:9
No one wants to see their child grieve, it’s heart-breaking. As parents, we just want to ease the pain and reassure them all will be well. We want to see them have joy once again. It’s a helpless feeling and a difficult process to witness. It’s one of those parenting things that no one prepares you for, yet it happens to all of us.
Whether it be the end of a relationship, a broken engagement, the loss of a friendship, the death of a loved one, or the collapse of a dream, it’s all painful and there is little we can do to make it better. Grief is deep and the pain can be life-altering. We need to be careful that we don’t gloss over it with a sweet “it’ll be okay, there will be others” response. We have to be respectful of their experience and carry their grief and sorrow with care. Even if we know for certain that it won’t be a lasting grief, in the moment it is all-consuming and to lighten it with insensitive comments can erode the trust our sons and daughters have for us.
Perhaps it’s grief over sin. We don’t often consider that as part of a grieving process, but it is certainly a valid and Biblical point. Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn” isn’t addressing the death of a loved one, but grief over sin. When we mourn our sin, we align our heart with God’s, Whose grief over man’s sin propelled Him to the cross to pay the penalty for our sin and offer a way of redemption and restoration with God.
As difficult as grief is, we also don’t want to avoid it- God brought it for a purpose. He made our emotions and we are made in His image. We want to help our sons and daughters embrace grief mindfully and process it well.
The grieving process can be equated to crossing a bridge. It’s the transition from what was, the ‘old’ settled place, to what is happening right now- the new, unfamiliar and unsettled place in process, shaky and unfamiliar, to the hope of what will one day be a new normal, a resettledness that, although different, feels comfortable and okay. The catch is, we don’t always recognize that process, nor do we tend to manage it intentionally. Too often we let grief run its course, carrying us along as it does. We become a passenger of its ebb and flow, helpless, just waiting until it settles.
https://www.traininternational.org/blog/blog-post-bridge-of-transition
It’s important that when our sons and daughters grieve (and they will) that we are cognizant of the process (pictured in the graphic above) and we encourage them effectively through each stage. It’s especially crucial in that ‘in between’ stage, because that is often when the anger, depression, and deep loss are felt most keenly and where the one grieving can be struggling the most. It is where the loss is manifested in confusion and hard emotions and it is when our sons and daughters will need wise, effective support.
We can’t just tell them to get over it, to ‘keep calm and carry on’. We have to be intentional in what we say and how we encourage. We may not be able to empathize, but we can show compassion, we can be a source of strength and encouragement, and we can pray them through it.
https://www.adaptconsultingcompany.com/2023/11/01/the-bridges-transition-model/
Grief is a response to the loss of someone or something for which we held a deep love and sense of purpose. Grief can accompany a move from one place to another, a job change, a closed door or the end of a chapter in life. Many MK kids (and even PKs and military kids) experience this grieving process when they move to a new mission field, change churches or change duty stations or leave their home abroad to return to the US for university. It's letting go of what was, even if you’re not ready. It's embracing what lies ahead, even if you don’t want to. It’s the losses. It’s all the goodbyes and farewells, knowing that you may never return. It is one thing to leave home…it’s another to leave and know you will never return to that place. That’s hard to accept. Yet Jesus is in it all- of course He is. He is Sovereign. He is Omnipresent. He is LORD.
As believers, we sometimes chide ourselves for sad or angry emotions, those shown in the ‘leaving, chaos, and in-between’ stages. But, emotions are not sin. Scripture shows us examples of so many of these. Consider Elijah who was burnt out and overwhelmed in dealing with the abuse and resistance of Ahab and Jezebel. God didn’t chide him, He cared for him and gave him rest and nourishment. Consider Naomi, who grieved her husband and sons. God didn't take her to task for grieving, He brought others alongside to walk through the grief with her, Ruth and later, Boaz. Then He blessed her with Obed, a sweet grandson who restored Naomi’s hope and joy.
Emotions are not sin, but wallowing in them and allowing them to become our god is sin. When we allow emotions to rule and overcome us so that they are all we’re focused on and they are what directs our thoughts and our actions, that is sin. When we allow them to be the excuse for bad behavior, bad attitudes, and justification for rebellion, it is sin.
Understand, too, deep grief IS all-consuming. And it goes hand in hand with overwhelming, long-lasting emotions. There is no prescripted, appropriate length of time, after which those emotions settle and evaporate. The process is different for each one. How we choose to handle the process is key.
So what can a parent do?
Identify where your son or daughter is in the grieving process. If parents can take a step back and understand where they are in the grief journey, it can give perspective and guide the support and encouragement.
Support them mindfully. When they’re ready, help your son or daughter honestly look at the transition bridge and identify where they are in it. Helping them to see that what they’re experiencing is normal and there is an end to the chaos and confusion that accompanies grief can help them be a bit more mindful of the emotions they’re experiencing and why. Help them to recognize that there is a progression and they’re not just ‘stuck’. If they have context for what is happening, it can provide some reassurance and hope.
Encourage your children to talk to Jesus, to tell Him all that they’re feeling and how overwhelmed they are with it all. He already knows, but opening that communication with Him enables them to begin to listen to Him. It helps them be honest with what they’re thinking and feeling. Far too often, we bury our grief, hide it from others because it’s not well-received or others don’t understand. We put on a mask to pretend everything is okay. God is in the midst of the process and He has a purpose in it. But that is yet to be seen. Pointing to that fact too soon may exaggerate the difficult emotions. It’s a realization that the grieving one has to recognize in time. Talking to Jesus begins a healing process. Tell them to pray out loud, pray while they’re walking, pray prostrate, pray anytime, anywhere. Open communication with the Lord will begin to transform their heart and mind.
So, how can we manage the grief and the transition from what was to what is to what will be?
Take every thought captive. Much of the battle of grief and depression is fought in the mind. This is not a ‘mind over matter’ approach. That is a tendency to ignore or suppress thoughts and emotions. No, the one grieving needs to acknowledge the emotions and work through them, but they also must be intentional to set their mind on things above (Col. 3). That’s hard in the grieving process and it takes time. Grief makes us vulnerable in so many ways. We need to be intentional that we are spiritually protected and not an easy target for the enemy.
Identify where your hope is anchored. If your hope is set on the resolution or the healing, it is misplaced. When we hope for an outcome, we are far too often disappointed, disillusioned, and crushed once again. Outcomes are inconsistent, they change, they rarely result in what we hope for or imagine. No, our hope must be anchored in Christ, the Eternal One, the All-Sufficient One, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is unchanging…and isn’t that where we want our hope secured? Hope is the eager expectation of something good, and if we know our Bible, we know that this world is not where that is delivered. God’s good is stored up for us in eternity. We have treasure in Heaven, we are part of His family and He’s prepared a place for us to live eternally with Him. When we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, He strengthens and equips us to endure the hardship here because we know He redeems everything and makes beauty out of ashes. He will wipe away every tear. When our hope is anchored in Jesus, we have a steady, unchanging, eternal hope that can weather any storm.
Finally, we must worship in our grief. Worshipping in grief can be a sweet, restorative time between the griever and the Savior. There is something healing about being outside in nature. All of creation knows its Creator and if we sit and listen, we can hear the response of creation to Him. Listen to the wind in the trees, the song of the birds, the chirp and hum of the crickets and bugs. Psalm 96:12 says “Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” and Psalm 148 calls for all creation to praise the Lord. Darkness and light cannot dwell together. Shut out the noise of the world. Allow the Spirit to speak to your heart. Praise drives away the darkness and helps us refocus our hearts and minds on the Lord. Time outside, spent listening to creation, reading Psalms, and even listening to praise and worship music can be healing.
Grieving can make us more like Jesus. That’s not usually something someone in grief wants to hear, yet, `Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. He knew the loss of a loved one; His father, Joseph, died at some point during Jesus’ earthly life. God can use grief to deepen our understanding of Him. Deep love for humanity and the grief over sin is what brought Jesus to the cross. God understands our grief and can use it for our good and for His glory.
Don’t be afraid to embrace grief as a gift. Pray for your sons and daughters to embrace it well, to be submitted to the Lord and His refining process, and to praise Him that He is Present and working through it all. He has not abandoned you and He will not. Though we cannot see a way forward, He is the way-maker. Trust Him, lean into Him. Cling tightly.
“Father, grief is so painful. I know you understand because you watched Your Son grieve- the rejection of His peers, the loss of His earthly father, the betrayal of those closest to Him- Peter’s denial three times while He was being beaten and wrongly accused- all of those and so many more. How did You watch and not intervene? Your love for us enabled You to allow your Son to suffer. It was for Your glory and our good. Lord, I hate to see (name) suffer. Yet I know it is in the hard, painful times that we grow closer to You, we understand Your heart more clearly and we deepen our faith. Father, give (name) hope…no just temporary hope, but deep, abiding hope in Jesus. Help (name) to have assurance that no matter what happens here, You have a purpose and a plan forward. Surround them with other believers who will speak into their life, or who will be a quiet strength to support them through the grief. Lord, bring Scripture to mind that will encourage them and help them set their mind on things above. I pray, Holy Spirit, that You would be the Comforter they need, reassuring them that, although things feel out of control, You are very much in control and You are tempering everything that touches them, even the hard and painful things. Oh, Jesus, I know You understand. You are a Man of sorrow, acquainted with grief. You took on all of our sin, our pain, our shame. You carried this grief that (name) is walking through long before the situation ever occured. We can trust You. I pray that You would increase (name)’s faith and trust today. Give me discernment to support them well. Guard my mouth so that the words I speak would bring encouragement, salt, and light. Guide my steps so that the actions I take would be helpful and supportive. Lord, give light to this situation so that we can see Your hand at work and praise you for it. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Passing through the Valley
“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84:5-7
The Valley of Baka in Psalms is also known as the valley of weeping. We can all likely look to a time when we experienced a difficult, dark time. Maybe we encountered hardship and it seemed as if we were in a dark valley of grief or sorrow that weighed us down and seemed to last longer than we had strength to endure.
It’s one thing to go through it personally, but ask any parent who has watched their son or daughter go through hard things and they’ll tell you, it’s not only difficult, it’s downright painful. We want to fix it. We want to bring it to a quick end. We want to make everything okay and get things “back to normal”, yet, we’re powerless to do it.
As parents, the valley experience of our children calls us to a deep and abiding faith in Jesus. It calls us to trust Him more than we can see in front of us. It calls us to rely on His strength and Sovereignty over our own power and ingenuity. It asks us to relinquish our parental ‘controls’ and trust in the One Who parents them best. The valley is a tough place to be, that’s certain. And, as parents, we can either be the voice of spiritual encouragement that points our son or daughter to Jesus, or a detractor that pulls their focus to their current situation and supports their despair.
But Psalm 84 gives us a beautiful, powerful picture of the valley as a place of victory, not defeat. Yes, the Psalmist writes about being in the valley of weeping, but he says, “Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” Blessed. It’s the Hebrew word “eser” and it means “happiness, or how happy” (1). Our sons and daughters can experience deep happiness and joy, in spite of the valley experience if they’re focused on Jesus! They may be in the valley, but if they’re still pursuing Jesus, they are blessed!! Their location and their situation do not determine their joy. Jesus is joy!! That’s a lesson we should all be reminded of daily.
The second thing to remember is that the valley isn’t their destination, it’s just a part of the journey. And the valley shouldn’t be the focus of their heart, the passage to Jesus should be their focus! The joy is generated and determined by the Source of their strength. The One who walks every step of the way with them through the valley and the One in whose Presence they long to stand. The journey is one of reliance on Jesus and trust in His Presence and leading.
Not only will the valley bring blessings, but it can become a place of refreshing. Imagine that! A valley of weeping becomes a journey of refreshing?! “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.” The word “spring” in Hebrew is the word “mayan” and it means "fountain or source of satisfaction” (2). Psalm 87:7 gives us another perspective on Who and what that fountain represents, “All my fountains are in You.” In other words, all of my blessings and Source of joy, delight and pleasure are in You, Lord. The valley doesn’t supply the source of satisfaction, the believer traveling the valley does through his full reliance on Christ and his delight in His presence. So, if our sons and daughters are in the valley, they can make it a place bubbling with delight, joy and pleasure if they remain focused on and grounded in the Lord. Blessings bubbling over, generatd by the Source of Life.
Then, there are the autumn rains. To some that may seem odd, but in Israel, the hot dry summer gives way to autumn rain that softens the soil and makes it pliable, easily broken up for cultivation and planting. It creates fertile ground- and isn’t that what God seeks to create in our hearts? The autumn rains in the valley of weeping can soften hearts and make them ready to receive the Word and be fruitful. The springs and fountains of delight, pleasure, and joy along with the refreshing, nourishing rains that soften the hardened ground make the trek through the valley a journey from strength to strength. This word, strength, is “hayil” in Hebrew and it means “resources, ability, and might” (3). Do you see? God uses the valley to bring joy in Him- not generated by our circumstances. He brings delight, not in the location, but in His Presence. He brings growth because of the believer’s focus and reliance on Him, not on the situation or location. He draws the traveler to Himself and in doing so, the situation and location become secondary.
Finally, the destination of walking through the valley is the anticipation of standing before God, in His presence. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your Presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” If our heart is set on pilgrimage to God’s presence and Jesus is our Guide and Companion, there is strength and joy in the journey because we know the valley isn’t the destination, nor does it hold what we’re seeking, and there is so much more that awaits us. We will ALL stand before the Lord, whether we intend that as our destination or not. It is determined beforehand for us.
How will we pray for our sons and daughters in their faith journey? Will we pray the valley is short and the weeping is minimal? That’s likely and why wouldn’t we? God understands our parent-heart well. But, maybe we should pray that the focus of our son or daughter is Jesus alone and that He would be their source of joy, delight and strength. And maybe, just maybe, we should pray for autumn rains that soften the ground of their hearts so they can receive the Word of God and bear fruit. Perhaps we should pray that their journey is not just a short one, but is one of moving from strength to strength until they appear before God in Zion and that ultimately, they would hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Let’s pray that the valley is a place of blessing and growth and that if He wills, the Lord would allow us a window on all of it while we lift our sons and daughters in prayer. There are features of the valley experience that can lead us and our sons and daughters to a stronger, more certain faith. And yes, even deep joy. That’s how we can pray effectively and fervently for their journey.
Pray without ceasing.
1. H835 - 'ešer - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h835/kjv/wlc/0-1/
2. H4599 - maʿyān - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h4599/niv/wlc/0-1/
3. H2428 - ḥayil - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2428/niv/wlc/0-1/
Burdens and Remedies
Isaiah 53:4-6
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
Whatever you’re carrying today, Jesus already bore the weight of it all on the cross. Think about that… all of the pain, sorrow, grief, sin… all of it from the beginning of time to the very end- He saw it, He knew it, He carried it to the cross, so that in His suffering, our suffering is never out of His control, but it’s present to remind us we are called to be like Christ.
The picture above is profound. The entire scene seems to be overlaid with a fingerprint. There is no part of the man’s experience that isn’t touched by it. It’s representative of our lives. God’s hand is all over everything we face, even the dark, difficult, painful days are not out of God’s control and mediation. His hand is all over anything we might face and He meters what we must endure. It is all to draw us closer to Him and make us more like Christ.
So whatever you’re facing today, He knew it before you faced it and He’s already got the remedy. Little sheep, listen to your Shepherd. Follow Him closely, lean into Him, trust Him. Don’t turn to your own way and don’t grow bitter. There is safety in the fold of Jesus. Find your place there.
There is no sorrow too heavy that He cannot carry it. Jesus is a Man of sorrows, He understands.
There is no grief too deep He cannot reach it. He is acquainted with grief. Let Jesus be your comfort.
There is no pain too intense He cannot bear it. Let Him be a balm to your hurting heart.
There is no darkness too great He cannot breach it. Look to the Light of the World to bring light to the darkness.
El-Roi- the God who sees
Jehovah-Jireh- the God who provides
Jehovah-Rapha- the God who heals
Jesus- the God who saves
Maybe you’re praying for a prodigal and the sorrow, grief, pain and darkness are overwhelming. God is not overwhelmed. He sees. He knows. He is working. Even if you cannot see it, trust Him. He is Sovereign and He loves your precious prodigal more than you ever could. He wants all to come to repentance. Pray that it would be so!
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters find their safety and identity in Christ. Pray that they would run to Him, not away from Him. Pray that their hearts would be drawn to the One who already endured everything and carefully sifts what will touch their lives because nothing is out of His control.
Pray without ceasing.
The Blessing and Gift of Grief
Grief is heavy.
It’s an experience we would rather avoid.
When we encounter others who are grieving, we’re often at a loss for words. We’re uncomfortable with the heaviness and we’re ill-equipped to help others handle their loss. It’s deeply personal and life-altering. We don’t know how to make it better or relieve the pain… we can’t.
Grief is hard.
Many of us have encountered loss and endured grief in our lives. As parents, we do our best to shield our children from that pain, yet, we can’t fully protect them from it. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, ““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Grief will come. It will hurt. It doesn’t just bruise you, it’s an amputation that leaves you forever changed. It will disorient you and you’ll be convinced that it will suffocate you.
Psalm 31:9 “Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.” (NIV)
But if you lean in closely, you will hear the Lord whisper. You may feel like you live in the shadows, but they are the shadows of His wings, covering you until you’re ready for anything else.
Psalm 91:1-2, 4 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” (NIV)
Grief means that vivid memories may bring streams of tears or an ache so deep that we weep at the pain. But God assures us that collects each one of our tears and records the reason for the pain and grief…He doesn’t forget.
Psalm 56:8 “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (NLT)
And one day, God tells us He will wipe away every tear and we’ll no longer grieve. Death and loss will be no more.
Revelation 21:4 “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”” (NIV)
And all the while, if we’re willing, if we trust Him, we will grow deeper in our understanding of His heart.
Grief can be a gift because it shakes us out of a false sense of comfort and belonging here in this world. Suddenly we’re confronted with everything not being okay. We are shaken by the pain that greets us each morning and sticks with us through each day. We are cognizant of something beyond this life…and the eternity that God placed in our hearts suddenly becomes real, tangible and stirs a longing unlike anything we’ve ever felt before (Ecc. 3:11). If we’re willing, it can be the thing that draws us so much deeper into a walk with the Lord. He gives the peace that passes understanding (Phil 4:7). He gives strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. He gives and will give more. God doesn’t do this to deprive us, He does this to demonstrate how much more waits for us…if we trust Him (Eph. 3:18-20). He will restore our losses and comfort our broken hearts.
Personally speaking, without the deep grief I’ve endured, I don’t know that I would long for heaven. Without grief I don’t know that I would understand the deep, abiding comfort of my Savior. Without grief, I would still be enjoying all that life has to offer with little thought to my eternity. But now, eternity is so real, life is so fleeting, my love for God is deeper and more vibrant than before I tasted grief and loss.
Grief can be a gift if we trust the Lord enough to let Him walk us through it. He’s walked that path. He knows grief and He longs to walk alongside us as we lean into Him.
Isaiah 53:3-5 “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (ESV)
Jesus understands our grief. He bore it on the cross. Go to Him, fall at His feet. Pour out your heart and rest in His shadow. He is always enough. And when you begin to see the glimmer of life again and you begin to breathe again, you’ll see that the gift of grief is held by the nail-scarred hands of the Savior who loves you so. Cling tightly.
Pray without ceasing.
Godly Sorrow vs. Worldly Sorrow
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 “ Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done…”
Do you ever feel overwhelmed, wishing that suffering would end and the unkindness, injustice, and cruelty of this world would be brought to justice? Is your heart ever heavy over the damage sin causes? Friends, that is mourning over sin and it’s Godly. If those things don’t bother us, then that’s cause to question our hearts and our alignment with God’s principles. But when they DO bother us, it’s not a guilt over our own sin, but a sorrow in our hearts over just how lost this world is... they don’t know Jesus. We need to encourage our sons and daughters with these words. There is the danger that the grief of this world could steal our joy and dominate our thoughts. Take every thought captive.
Perhaps the greater question is, what does that sorrow motivate us to do? Do we spend time arguing our principles with others, trying to solve things here and now with politics and other divisive arguments? Maybe we struggle with a compulsion to make it clear to others that we are right and they are wrong (yeah, that always works well….) 2 Tim 2:23 “Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.” Friends, that’s a worldly attempt to solve a spiritual dilemma.
We need to take a step back to see the bigger spiritual picture and understand this is all headed in the direction God ordained… at some point, things here will all unravel. Sin is a terminal condition. It leads to death...and everyone is afflicted. We cannot infuse enough ‘good’ into this world to reverse what God ordains as the end result. That’s not to say we abdicate any responsibility to effect change, but it is a checkpoint to ask ourselves, what kind of change are we trying to bring...and how?
We can and must share the hope we have in Christ. I Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,” We have to remember, this world is not our home, we are not destined to live here for eternity.
Maybe we should ask, “do we even have godly sorrow?” If we can’t answer that with confidence, it’s time to take inventory in our lives and check our hearts and our priorities. If we’re truly possessing godly sorrow, it will manifest itself in an eagerness to purify ourselves- to ensure we are blameless in how we live. If we have godly sorrow, we will be indignant…not pleased with ourselves and how well we argue our points, but frustrated at the lack of reverence and obedience to the Lord and we’ll be moved to share how He can redeem. We’ll be alarmed, having a true fear for the eternal condition of those who don’t know the Lord. We’ll be motivated with a deep longing to see others come to Christ. We’ll act with a zeal and fervor that indicates our lives are committed to something more than what this world can offer and we’ll have a burning desire to see God work justice against those who have done evil against others and scorned God and His Lordship. Do we long for God’s justice or are we hesitant?
Friends, we need to pray for our sons and daughters. They’re living in a world that pressures them to compromise their values and that would steal their joy and passion for Christ. Let’s pray that they would have a true, godly sorrow that would bring repentance in earnest. Pray that they would be eager to live in such a way as to strongly defend their beliefs. Pray that they would be indignant, alarmed at what they see this world doing and would have a longing and concern to see God’s justice done. Pray that they stand strong in their faith and would defend the gospel effectively.
Pray without ceasing.