Throat Lumps

Our lovely Sheryl Glancy has been out of the office this week, and today I filled in for her on the phones during Mid-Morning. Our show today was about prodigals, and as I answered calls I noticed...

...that each caller squeezed out a pain-filled question around a lump in the throat.

To know that we have loved ones who have chosen not to pursue our Abba...hurts us in the deepest place.

We want to fix everything. We want an instant solution. We want to pull their wounded hearts into our hands and soothe and repair the brokenness found there.

But we can't. No amount of sheer willpower on our end will fix anything.

The good news?

He's not done with your prodigal. His loving Father's heart hasn't lost sight of that soul you love so much.

And as our guest, Carol Barnier, said in her book, Engaging Today's Prodigal, "God is able to make something good come of this situation, and not just for your prodigal."

Oh yes. And she also said, "God can even make something beautiful out of those scars."

So, to you sweet callers whose strained voices spoke around a lump in the throat, and to those of you whose hearts ached so badly you couldn't even call, know this today:

...the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes on behalf of the saints according to God's will.

~ Romans 8:26-27 NET ~



So don't give up interceding for the prodigals in your life. Know that the Holy Spirit is interceding for you as you intercede for them. And know that He's not absent from this deep hurt that encompasses you. He's there and working, even if you can't see.

And may I offer this as well? Last year, Lynne interviewed James Banks, who also wrote a great book about prodigals, called Prayers for Prodigals. Carol was a prodigal child who came home to the love of the Lord, and James parented two prodigal children. Let the wisdom they each learned on their respective journeys encourage you!

And if you're just flat out hurting today from the weight of it all...if you wonder if you have the courage for this journey, read this lovely blog post by Bonnie Gray. It spoke to me in ways I can't explain.