When circumstances look the darkest, don’t give up! There’s a cliché that says, “winners never quit and quitters never win.” If you want to win, continue to fight the good fight of faith.
Six years ago, when we received the news that our son was arrested in connection with a tragedy, we went into shock. Yet, even in the state of shock, we grabbed hold of the truths of God’s Word and His promises for our family.
When we recently visited our son, Stephen, he told us that because we showed him unconditional love during tragedy, he surrendered his life to Christ. If we would have rejected him because of the horrid allegations, he would have hardened his heart.
For us, it took only four months before Stephen yielded to Christ after his arrest. I have visited with other parents, and it has taken longer. Years. Some are still believing for the loved ones to receive the Lord. In these times of waiting, it is important to maintain the relationship however possible. Find safe topics to talk about if sharing your faith causes strife and division.
Folks, I hear stories of inmates who were rejected by families on the outside only to turn to “families” on the inside. Then they yield themselves to lifestyles that leads to further confinement and repetitive cycles.
As families and friends of the incarcerated, we must never give up on them. No matter how long it takes, we must show them the unconditional love of God. And of course, we must set healthy boundaries.
I firmly believe that we need to show God’s goodness to those who are hurting. And those who’ve been arrested, convicted, and sentenced to prison, in my opinion, classify as hurting. They’ve already been judged by the courts—of public opinion and by the judicial system. For that reason, we must choose not to put any additional punishments on our loved ones by withholding love from them.
“Or do you disregard the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4 BSB)
Below are some of the ways that we showed our son unconditional love that led to his repentance.
We sent a Study Bible
We found out what the mail room policy was for the jail where he was housed. Then we sent a Study Bible that included footnotes, a concordance, and maps. The study Bible in a modern English translation and notes helped him with the understanding of the passages he read.
We sent Christian books or Bible studies
Again, after learning the mail room policy, we sent books and Bible studies that taught biblical truths. We had the same materials and we wrote back and forth about what we learned.
We wrote letters filled with Scriptures.
While our son was in county jail, my letters were filled with Scriptures as there’s not much else to write about as the prosecution looks at every letter and listens to every phone call.
We talked about Scriptures on the phone.
We shared about Scriptures on our 20 minute phone phone calls and how that passage encouraged us to get through that week.
And always pray for them. (See 1 Thessalonians 5:17.)
The important thing is that we get the Word of God in our hearts and share it diligently with our incarcerated loved ones. When we grab hold of the truths found in the Word of God, we will desire to love them and we are able to continue in His strength.
God’s word does not return void and He promises His love will lead our loved ones to repentance. Hold onto HIS promises and …
Never give up!
