The other day after speaking to someone, whose adult child has nothing to do with them or God, I went to the Lord and asked "Where did we go wrong?" That's what so many parents examine, putting the fault on themselves. They've train up their children in the ways of the Lord, yet some of them turn away from serving God & with some break their relationships with their family also.
The Lord was very quick in His response, "You didn't, they made the choice."
Go back to the Garden, Adam and Eve, who walked with God, made the choice to turn away from God. You can look at them as the first backsliders.
The Prodigal made a choice to leave his family and go out and experience the world. Thankfully after time, and a father he did not stop praying and believing, the son came to his senses and came back with a repentant heart and was restored back to God and his family.
The fault was not with the parent/upbringing, it is with the person themself, they themselves made the choice no-one else to be drawn by the world
To many parents are carrying the blame & guilt for the choices their children have made.
1 John 2:16 AMPC
For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]–these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
Luke 15:13 AMPC
And not many days after that, the younger son gathered up all that he had and journeyed into a distant country, and there he wasted his fortune in reckless and loose [from restraint] living.
Luke 15:21, 24 NLT
His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ ...
Prayed:
We are praying towards parents to stop carrying tge weight of guilt, for children to come to their senses and restoration to their families and God.