Nothing changes God’s love for His children. His love is unconditional. Even when we are disobedient or stray far from Him, He continues to love us (see Romans 5:8). We need only to respond to His love and forgiveness. This true love is described in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT) where it says, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”

Following our Heavenly Father’s example, it’s important to let our children know that no matter what, our love for them is constant and unchanging, even when they disobey. This gives them a strong sense of security and a clear picture of what God’s love looks like.

It’s true that dealing with disobedience, poor behavior, or intense sibling rivalry can be exhausting, but waywardness also presents a great opportunity to demonstrate God’s love after the manner set forth in Ephesians 4:2–“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” In these times, you can assure your child that even though they’ve made some mistakes, you love them. Expressing unconditional love gives you the opportunity to effectively guide them at a time when they might otherwise withdraw and move toward further trouble.