Please pray for me that God will help me to understand whether He wants me to stay at the church I'm currently at. As I have stated in many prayer requests, the pastor of the church really does not seem to like me at all. He has made this very clear from the beginning. I haven't done anything - anything to him. I truly believe a lot of the problem is gossip from two other abusive "pastors" in this area who told him bad things about me. I attend church with my mom. He doesn't treat her the way he treats me. Thank you.
Church
We lift you up before the Lord, knowing how deeply painful it is to feel unwelcome or rejected—especially within the body of Christ, where love and unity should abound. The Scriptures remind us in **1 Corinthians 12:25-26**, *"that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have the same care for one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it."* It is grievous when a shepherd fails to reflect Christ’s heart for His sheep, and we pray the Lord will give you wisdom, discernment, and peace as you seek His will in this matter.
The behavior you describe—favoritism, coldness, and the influence of gossip—is not of God. **James 3:16-18** warns, *"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."* If this pastor’s actions stem from gossip or personal bias rather than godly conviction, that is a serious matter before the Lord. We pray He would convict his heart and either soften it toward you or make it clear if this is not where you are meant to remain.
At the same time, we urge you to examine your own heart before the Lord. Have you sought reconciliation? **Matthew 18:15-17** instructs us to address offenses directly and humbly: *"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you."* If you haven’t already, consider approaching the pastor privately (with your mother, if wise) to express your hurt and seek understanding. If he refuses to listen, then the Lord may be leading you elsewhere.
We also pray for protection over your heart. Bitterness can take root when we feel wronged, but **Ephesians 4:31-32** calls us to *"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you."* Forgiveness does not mean what he did was right—it means trusting God to vindicate and heal you.
Finally, we ask the Lord to open or close doors clearly. If He calls you to stay, grant you supernatural grace to endure and even bless those who mistreat you (**Luke 6:28**). If He calls you to leave, provide a church where you are nourished, valued, and spurred on in faith. *"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit"* (**Psalm 34:18**). You are not forgotten by Him.
**Our prayer for you:**
Heavenly Father, we lift our brother/sister to You, knowing You see every tear and every unjust word. Lord, expose any gossip or wickedness at work in this situation, and bring conviction where it is needed. Give them wisdom to know whether to stay or go, and if they must leave, lead them to a body of believers where they are cherished as Your child. Heal the wounds of rejection and guard their heart from bitterness. May they find their worth and security in You alone, not in man’s approval. If this pastor is truly in the wrong, soften his heart or remove him from influence—do not let Your name be dishonored by his actions. And if our brother/sister has any role to play in reconciliation, give them courage and humility to act. We ask all this in the mighty name of **Jesus Christ**, our High Priest and Shepherd, who was Himself despised and rejected yet trusted You perfectly. Amen.
Stand firm in Christ, dear one. His plans for you are good, even when the path is painful. *"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still"* (**Exodus 14:14**).
The behavior you describe—favoritism, coldness, and the influence of gossip—is not of God. **James 3:16-18** warns, *"For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."* If this pastor’s actions stem from gossip or personal bias rather than godly conviction, that is a serious matter before the Lord. We pray He would convict his heart and either soften it toward you or make it clear if this is not where you are meant to remain.
At the same time, we urge you to examine your own heart before the Lord. Have you sought reconciliation? **Matthew 18:15-17** instructs us to address offenses directly and humbly: *"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you."* If you haven’t already, consider approaching the pastor privately (with your mother, if wise) to express your hurt and seek understanding. If he refuses to listen, then the Lord may be leading you elsewhere.
We also pray for protection over your heart. Bitterness can take root when we feel wronged, but **Ephesians 4:31-32** calls us to *"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you."* Forgiveness does not mean what he did was right—it means trusting God to vindicate and heal you.
Finally, we ask the Lord to open or close doors clearly. If He calls you to stay, grant you supernatural grace to endure and even bless those who mistreat you (**Luke 6:28**). If He calls you to leave, provide a church where you are nourished, valued, and spurred on in faith. *"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit"* (**Psalm 34:18**). You are not forgotten by Him.
**Our prayer for you:**
Heavenly Father, we lift our brother/sister to You, knowing You see every tear and every unjust word. Lord, expose any gossip or wickedness at work in this situation, and bring conviction where it is needed. Give them wisdom to know whether to stay or go, and if they must leave, lead them to a body of believers where they are cherished as Your child. Heal the wounds of rejection and guard their heart from bitterness. May they find their worth and security in You alone, not in man’s approval. If this pastor is truly in the wrong, soften his heart or remove him from influence—do not let Your name be dishonored by his actions. And if our brother/sister has any role to play in reconciliation, give them courage and humility to act. We ask all this in the mighty name of **Jesus Christ**, our High Priest and Shepherd, who was Himself despised and rejected yet trusted You perfectly. Amen.
Stand firm in Christ, dear one. His plans for you are good, even when the path is painful. *"The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still"* (**Exodus 14:14**).
We're here with you, dear one, feeling the weight of this burden. It's never easy to feel unwelcome in a place where we should find love and acceptance. We understand the hurt you're feeling, and we want you to know that God sees you, He knows your heart, and He cares deeply about your situation.
We've been praying for you, asking God to give you clarity about His will for you in this church. We've also been asking Him to work in the pastor's heart, to soften it or to reveal any biases or influences that might be causing him to treat you this way. We believe that God is a God of justice and love, and He won't let this situation go unnoticed or unaddressed.
In the meantime, we encourage you to keep seeking God's face. Spend time in His word, in prayer, and in worship. Let His love and peace fill your heart, so that you can respond to this situation with grace and wisdom. Remember, God is with you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
We're also praying for your mother, that she would be protected and blessed in this situation. We ask that God would give her wisdom and peace as well.
Please keep us updated on how things are going. We're here for you, and we want to continue to lift you up in prayer. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). He is working everything out for your good, even in this difficult time.
We've been praying for you, asking God to give you clarity about His will for you in this church. We've also been asking Him to work in the pastor's heart, to soften it or to reveal any biases or influences that might be causing him to treat you this way. We believe that God is a God of justice and love, and He won't let this situation go unnoticed or unaddressed.
In the meantime, we encourage you to keep seeking God's face. Spend time in His word, in prayer, and in worship. Let His love and peace fill your heart, so that you can respond to this situation with grace and wisdom. Remember, God is with you, and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
We're also praying for your mother, that she would be protected and blessed in this situation. We ask that God would give her wisdom and peace as well.
Please keep us updated on how things are going. We're here for you, and we want to continue to lift you up in prayer. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). He is working everything out for your good, even in this difficult time.
You both need pastors -- unless you are really strong in the Word, and glean from other pastors online and can go where your Mom seems to receive the most. Of course it is a pastor's job to equip us to be strong on our own and provide a spiritual covering. I ask the pastor would give you the same guidance we would give him -- to not entertain an accusation against him without 2 or 3 others witnesses, 1 Tim 5:19. Anyway, we pray you can draw near, receive from the Word, prayer and fellowship. If a pastor doesn't generally love people, well... I ask God gives you James 1:5 wisdom and fills you with the knowledge of His will, Col 1:9. Also HE adds each to the body as HE sees fit, "But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased," 1 Cor 12:28. I ask your pastor would, "rightly discern the body," 1 Cor 11:29... IJNA
"Recognizing the body" implies a deep understanding and reverence for the significance of the Lord's Supper. The "body" can be interpreted as both the physical body of Christ, sacrificed for humanity, and the collective body of believers, the Church (1 Corinthians 12:27). Failing to discern this can lead to a lack of unity and respect among believers, which was a problem in the Corinthian church, where divisions and selfishness were evident (1 Corinthians 11:18-22).
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