
photo cred. Avel Chuklanov on unsplash
Today is Easter, a day of hope and new beginnings. But before the resurrection came the crucifixion which brought a lot of loss, sorrow, betrayal, confusion, and unanswered questions. These adjectives describe the state of our world today and many of us as parents of troubled children.
Is a family member or a friend terminally ill? Have you lost your job or is your business struggling? Are you worried about your marriage, in addition to your child’s welfare, which was already more than you could bear?
Maybe you are the parent of a teen or adult who isn’t doing well—they’ve struggled for years. Have they imploded (or exploded) during this season of uncertainty? Is your story complicated and way too long to tell in one sitting? You can’t help how you feel. You’re in deep emotional pain and losing ground fast.
Any hope you once had is depleted … slipping away.
WHAT IS THERE TO HOPE FOR NOW?
You may find yourself in a desperate place wondering what there is to hope for now? Maybe you are in one of these groups: your beloved child is incarcerated or has a substance use disorder (SUD). They’ve damaged themselves with self-harm. They continuously inflict wounds on their body or have an eating disorder (another form of self-harm). Mental illness and

photot cred. twloha
suicide attempts might be what plague them. In and out of rehabs and treatment programs their battle and the accompanying trauma never ends.
They’ve made countless terrible mistakes with failed marriages or unhealthy same-sex relationships and now there may be grandchildren in the picture. Perhaps they have estranged themselves from you and you don’t know why. You have experienced more brokenness and heartache than you ever thought possible.
Much more.
Your heart is shattered. Numb and heartsick, your sanity hangs by a thread and that thin string is frayed, about to come apart for good.
What is there to hope for now?
How much more you can take?
Your heart cries out, “How long, O God?” You see no way anything good could come from all that’s happened. Everything looks ruined. You feel lifeless, stuck in a darkened tomb with a huge stone blocking the only way out … and it stinks like death in there.
4 SUGGESTIONS THIS EASTER
What can you do? Try these four suggestions. They helped me:
1. Keep praying and trusting God.
He is the Great Physician, the relentless lover of every soul.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart… (Proverbs 3:5 NIV); … I am the LORD, who heals you (Exodus 15:26 NIV).
2. Be honest with yourself, with God, and a few safe people.
Let out your pain. Stop hiding and repressing the hurt. That will damage you more in the end. God sees. He knows. He cares about your suffering.
When I said, “My foot is slipping”, your love, O Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul (Psalms 94: 18-19 NIV).
3. Never give up. Ever.
Your child’s resurrection day could be soon! We’re given no guarantees of how things will end, but we can be certain of one thing: God will never stop seeking them or giving them second, third, fourth … endless chances. His hands of compassion remain extended toward them long past when our hands drop.
Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me (John 14:1 NIV).
4. Remember who God is, what He’s done in the past, and what He can do in the future.
Easter proves that God can do anything to fulfill His plans. Whatever it takes. He is able. After all, He has the power to raise the dead.
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full (John 10:10 NIV).
I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live (John 11:25 NIV).
HOPE ON

photo cred. dena yohe
As long as your child is still breathing, there is still hope!
Be encouraged. God, who raised Jesus from the dead, can raise you up again too. He can lift you out of the ashes of hopelessness, despair, and sadness.
Dear friends, HOPE ON.
Hold
On to God’s
Promises
Expectantly.
The following Bible verse reminds me where our encouragement comes from. It’s not pie-in-the-sky positive mantras or wishful thinking. Our hope comes from an all-powerful God. Our hope is in Him. Our hope IS Him.
Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope (Psalms 119:49 NIV).
Make this prayer your own: O God, please renew my hope this Easter. My whole world is darker and more hopeless than usual. The heaviness has taken a toll on my already fragile emotions. Please help me hold on to the belief that because Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and God resurrected him back to life, my child can have a new beginning — I can too. But if I don’t see them healed or turn to you in my lifetime, I will trust you. You can raise me up from the tomb of despair I’ve fallen into. I want to live in the victory You won at Calvary, today and all the days of my life. In Your resurrection power. Amen.
Recommended Resources:
If you need some fresh encouragement today, you might like my book:
Or you might prefer this one:
The Hope of a Homecoming by Brendan O’Rourke and DeEtte Sauer. You can order it from our website. If you do, a small portion of your purchase will help our ministry.
WHICH OF THE 4 SUGGETIONS DO YOU NEED?
WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO YOU? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
** As Amazon Affiliates we receive a small percentage of the book sales.
Suggestion #3 and the Easter prayer I found helpful. I know God wants us to trust more and worry less but I find myself grieving daily. I have so many questions, no answers, and wonder if I will ever see my adult child again. Thank you for this website. It helps me feel not so alone.
Diane, thank you for your comment. I am so sorry for the pain and grief you are experiencing. Be patient with yourself. This kind of grief is especially difficult with no closure or assurances, other than that God is with you, he will help you and he understands. I’m glad #3 was helpful for you about trusting God more, worrying less and yes, Oh how hard to do. We can’t do this on our own. We look to God to do it in us. He is our source of strength. I hope you will see your child again one day. Until then, please take care of yourself, draw near to God and find a supportive community. You might want to try one of our support groups. If there’s not one near you, try one of our online groups. They are comforting and encouraging. Look under “Parent Resources” on our website and you’ll see “Support Groups”. Online ones are listed at the end of the states. God bless you with an extra awareness of his presence today.
Dena