October 24, 2025
Can You Fix My Child
Proverbs 3:11-12 – “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”
The desperate prayer echoes from parents’ hearts across generations: “God, please fix my child.” We kneel, tears streaming, asking divine intervention for our wayward son or daughter. We envision a gentle transformation—perhaps a timely sermon that changes everything, or a wise mentor who appears at just the right moment. We pray for change but often have specific expectations about how that change should occur.
Then reality unfolds differently. Sometimes God’s redemptive work involves paths we never would have chosen—painful consequences, difficult relationships, even seasons of hardship that seem unnecessarily harsh. Our child might experience broken relationships, financial setbacks, or health challenges that appear destructive rather than constructive. We question God’s methods, wondering why transformation requires such difficulty.
The Hebrew word for discipline, “musar,” carries deeper meaning than mere punishment. It encompasses instruction, correction, and character formation. When God disciplines those He loves, His ultimate goal isn’t punishment but transformation. As David acknowledged, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word” (Psalm 119:67). Sometimes lasting change requires experiencing the natural consequences of poor choices.
This doesn’t mean God causes tragedy to teach lessons. Rather, He works redemptively through difficult circumstances that often result from our own decisions. The prodigal son needed to experience hunger among the pigs before recognizing the value of his father’s house. Joseph’s brothers required years of guilt before finding forgiveness. Jonah encountered the whale’s belly before embracing his calling.
When we pray “Fix my child,” we’re essentially saying, “Do whatever necessary to bring them back to You”—a prayer that may be answered through pathways we never would have chosen.
Today’s Prayer: Father, give me courage to trust Your redemptive work in my loved ones’ lives, even when Your methods differ from what I would choose. Amen.
Reflection Question: How has your faith helped you trust God’s methods even when they seem severe?