Loving Unconditionally and Praying Faithfully

This post is part of a 4-part series on Parenting Adult Children with Grace and Trust. Over the series, we’ll explore how to release them to God’s care, guide without controlling, model godly living, and love unconditionally while praying faithfully.

If your church is looking to equip parents for this unique and often challenging season, the Biblical Living Center offers a 1-day seminar designed to encourage and strengthen families through biblical teaching and practical tools. Contact us to learn more about bringing this workshop to your community!

What do you do when you can’t fix things anymore?

When your child is no longer under your roof or your rule, and your influence feels painfully small—what does love look like then?

For Christian parents of adult children, the answer is twofold: love unconditionally and pray continually.


Personal Note: I’m a new grandfather.

Leading up to this season of life, I often told people it was one I wasn’t ready for. I hadn’t done sonship particularly well. I’m still not sure how well I’ve done as a dad. So the idea of stepping into yet another family role—one I didn’t feel prepared for—felt terrifying.

There was a lot of pain in my own upbringing. And as a father, I know I’ve caused my share of pain too. So becoming a grandfather? I thought, How can I possibly mess this up? Oh, I’m sure I’ll find a way…

Then in January, she was born.

She lives thousands of miles away, which means I can’t be there often or do much with her directly. That left me wondering: What can I do? How do I do better in this role than I have in the past?

And then it hit me—actually, it hit me when I first heard she was on her way: I can pray for her.

I can’t control anything in her life. But God can. He is sovereign over every detail. And I have the incredible privilege of entrusting her to Him—praying daily for her, for her parents, for her wellbeing, and most of all, for her salvation.

Though I haven’t met her yet, prayer has deepened my affections for her—and for Jesus on her behalf.

What a wonderful, undeserved gift. Thank You, Lord.

Love That Reflects the Father

The love described in 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t weak or sentimental. It’s the kind of love that keeps showing up—even when it gets nothing in return. It’s the love that:

  • waits patiently

  • acts kindly

  • doesn’t control outcomes

  • doesn’t retreat in disappointment

It is a reflection of God’s own heart—as revealed in Exodus 34:6–7, when He declared to Moses:


“The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…”


God’s love moves toward us in grace, not because we earned it, but because He is love.

And He most clearly shows that love in Christ:


“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8


This is the kind of love we’re called to reflect in parenting—especially when our children’s choices bring heartache.

Job: A Parent Who Prays

In Job 1:5, we glimpse the quiet strength of a godly parent:


“Job would rise early… and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, ‘It may be that my children have sinned…’ Thus Job did continually.”

Job couldn’t control his adult children—but he never stopped interceding for them.

He prayed as an act of faithful love, not because he had power over them, but because he trusted in the One who did.

This kind of love:

  • doesn’t wait for certainty

  • doesn’t demand performance

  • doesn’t give up

It hopes, bears, believes, and endures—because it is anchored not in outcomes, but in God’s character.

Faithfulness Over Outcomes

In 1 Corinthians 4:1–2, Paul gives us a guiding truth:


“This is how one should regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”


As parents of adults, we are not owners of their journey—we are stewards of influence, love, and prayer.

You are not responsible for how your child ultimately responds to God. You are responsible to reflect Him.

Unconditional love is not permissive, passive, or naïve. It’s a choice to remain faithful—to pray when you feel powerless, to hope when you’re tempted to despair, and to entrust them to the God who sees and saves.

A Practice: Praying Through Love

One way we anchor ourselves in this kind of love is by praying Scripture.

Use 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 as a framework—not only to pray for your adult child, but to let God shape your posture.

Here’s one example:

“Love is patient.”

  • For your child: “Lord, help them be patient—with others, with themselves, and with You.”

  • For you: “Help me be patient with their journey. Keep me from rushing or forcing what only You can do.”

You can do this with every phrase of 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. (In our workshop we include a handout for this in our session, but you can choose many other scriptures to pray over your children.)

A Final Encouragement

Loving adult children means trusting that God is still parenting them—and trusting that your prayers and faithful love still matter.

Your words, your quiet presence, your refusal to give up—these are seeds.

God waters them. He watches over them. And He’s not done writing their story.

Next Steps:

  • Reflect on where you may be measuring your parenting by outcomes instead of faithfulness.

  • Pray through 1 Corinthians 13 this week—both for your child and for your own heart.

  • Write a short, private prayer for your adult child and tuck it into your Bible.


🛐 God loves your child more than you ever could—and He is able to do far more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).


📚 This is Part 3 of our 4-part series on Parenting Adult Children with Grace and Trust..


Want to bring this as a 1-day seminar to your church or community?

The Biblical Living Center offers biblically rich and practical workshops to equip parents in every season. Contact us today to learn more.

Previous
Previous

To Be Known: When Others Don’t Seem to Care

Next
Next

Honoring Their Autonomy & Being a Godly Example