Just Asking by Peter Banzon
“My 19-year old son thinks he is madly in love with his 18-year old girlfriend. He completely ignores our advice and does what he wants. Nagwo-worry kami for possible consequences nito.”
Love is a very powerful emotion. The Bible says in Songs of Solomon 8:7, “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.”
So what can you do? Here are some suggestions.
- Pray. This is the important step to take when you are facing problems or challenges. Since you are dealing with powerful emotions, you need God’s overwhelming power. Ask God to give you wisdom to deal with this situation. Pray that God will touch your son and his girlfriend so they can develop a healthy relationship and resist the temptation of having sexual relationships outside of marriage.
- Strengthen your relationship. Since your son is so attached to his girlfriend, then it is wise to focus on them, as a unit. He will understand your concern for his girlfriend as genuine concern for him, as well. Take them out on a date. Invite them to your family events. Your son would be more open to advice when you address your concerns with his girlfriend present.
- Be part of a Christ-centered community. Take them to a church or small group where the Bible is preached and tackles issues of purity, sexuality and God’s plan for marriage. They need a spiritual community to help them develop their relationship with God. Value change takes place in the context of relationships with others who are in relationship with God. A growing relationship with Christ would result in a godly relationship between your son and his girlfriend.
