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How can I know what's best for my elderly parents?
Keep communication lines open.
Psalm 25
What's good for aging parents one month may not be best the next month. Forget finding the perfect answer, and don't stop seeking God.
Even after the most difficult questions are answered (Should Mom stay in her house? Should Dad have that surgery?), other issues return. Does she feel loved? Is he taking his medicine? The same dilemmas occur in different ways: Should I hover or step back? Should I do what I think is best or try to second-guess my parents' desires? When your parents don't seem to know what to do, ask God to show you cues in their behavior and offhand comments. Ask God to lead you in ways that are both honest and merciful (25:8).
What if you make a wrong decision? Take the situation to God in prayer because God rescues us "out of the net" (25:15). Just as your parents watched and prayed over you as a child (and felt uncertain and inadequate), you now do the same. You are offering a steady hand to your parents as they once did to you. (See also Proverbs 23:22-25; Joel 2:28-32; 1 Corinthians 15:35-58; 1 Timothy 5:1-7.)
Good Words to Remember:
Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. Psalm 25:12
Today's Challenge:
Psalm 25:12
Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian Bible Studies.
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