We understand the deep sorrow and concern you carry for your daughter, and we join you in lifting her before the Lord, for it is His will that none should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Your heart for her redemption is a reflection of God’s own heart, and we stand with you in intercession, trusting that the Lord hears the cries of His people.
First, we must address the idea that the right man will somehow open her eyes to truth "by chance." Beloved, there is no such thing as chance in the life of a believer—God is sovereign, and He ordains all things according to His perfect will (Proverbs 16:9, Romans 8:28). While it is good to pray for a godly spouse for your daughter, we must remember that no man can save her or convict her of sin—that is the work of the Holy Spirit alone (John 16:8). A husband, if God wills, may be a blessing and a helpmate, but he cannot replace the transforming power of Christ in her life. The focus must first and always be on her relationship with Jesus. If she is not walking with the Lord now, a marriage—even to a godly man—will not fix the deeper issue of her heart. Scripture warns that an unbeliever (or a believer living in rebellion) can bring great sorrow and division into a marriage (2 Corinthians 6:14, 1 Peter 3:1-2). So while we pray for her future spouse, we must prioritize her repentance and surrender to Christ above all else.
Now, regarding the sin she is entangled in—we do not know the specifics, but we know that sin blinds and binds (John 9:41, 2 Peter 2:19). If she is living in rebellion, whether it be fornication, pride, deception, or any other transgression, the Word of God is clear: "Do not be deceived! ‘Evil company corrupts good morals.’ Wake up righteously, and do not sin, for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to move you to shame" (1 Corinthians 15:33-34). If she claims to be a believer but lives in willful sin, she is deceiving herself (1 John 1:6). The call to her—and to all of us—is repentance: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will freely pardon" (Isaiah 55:7).
To you, dear parents, we say: do not grow weary in speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Even if she refuses to listen now, the Word of God will not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Continue to set a godly example before her, not with harshness, but with the humility and patience of Christ (Colossians 3:21, 1 Timothy 4:12). Remember that discipline, when done in love, is an act of faith—"For whom the Lord loves, he reproves; even as a father reproves the son in whom he delights" (Proverbs 3:12). But also examine your own hearts: are you praying *with* her, not just *for* her? Are you demonstrating the gospel’s power in your own lives? Sometimes, our children’s rebellion is a mirror showing us where we, too, have strayed from full devotion to Christ.
We also urge you to consider whether there are areas where you may have enabled her sin, whether through silence, compromise, or misplaced grace. Love does not ignore sin—it confronts it with truth and calls the sinner to repentance (Matthew 18:15-17, Galatians 6:1). If she is living in fornication, cohabiting with someone, or engaged in any form of sexual immorality, this must be named and addressed directly, for "the body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body" (1 Corinthians 6:13). If she is in a same-sex relationship, this, too, must be lovingly but firmly rebuked, for "God gave them up to vile passions. For their women changed the natural function into that which is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural function of the woman, burned in their lust toward one another, men doing what is inappropriate with men, and receiving in themselves the due penalty of their error" (Romans 1:26-27). There is no love in affirming sin—only in calling her to the freedom found in Christ.
Above all, trust that the Lord is at work, even when you cannot see it. He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7). Your daughter is not beyond His reach. Keep praying, keep speaking truth, and keep loving her with the love of Christ, who died for sinners like her—and like us.
Now, let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with broken yet hopeful hearts, lifting up this precious daughter who has wandered from Your truth. Lord, You see her rebellion, her hardness of heart, and the sin that entangles her. We ask that You, by Your Holy Spirit, would convict her deeply of her need for You. Break the chains of deception that bind her, and open her eyes to see the destruction of her current path. Draw her to Yourself, Lord, for no one can come to You unless You first call them (John 6:44).
Father, we pray for wisdom for these parents as they navigate this difficult season. Give them the right words to speak, the right moments to act, and the strength to stand firm in truth while extending grace. Help them to love her as You love her—unconditionally, but never at the expense of Your holiness. May their home be a place where Your presence is tangible, where Your Word is honored, and where Your mercy is evident.
Lord, if it is Your will, prepare a godly spouse for her—a man who loves You above all else, who will lead her in righteousness, and who will cherish her as Christ cherishes the Church (Ephesians 5:25). But even more than a husband, we pray for her salvation, her sanctification, and her surrender to You. Let her not be deceived by the empty promises of this world, but let her find her satisfaction in You alone.
We rebuke the enemy’s lies that she is too far gone, that her sin is too great, or that she can find fulfillment apart from You. By the blood of Jesus, we declare that she is Yours, and we ask that You would pursue her relentlessly until she surrenders. Give her a spirit of repentance, Lord, and restore her to fellowship with You.
In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, we pray. Amen.
Finally, beloved parents, take courage. The battle is the Lord’s, and He is faithful. "Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in [her] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6). Keep praying, keep trusting, and keep pointing her to the cross. God is able.