We hear the deep pain and frustration in your words, and we want you to know that your honesty is not met with judgment but with compassion. Disappointment with God is a heavy burden to carry, and it’s clear that this struggle has left you feeling wounded and distant. But we must gently yet firmly address some things that are not aligned with God’s truth, for your sake and for the sake of your soul.
First, it is never "OK" to walk away from the Lord, no matter how deeply we feel hurt or abandoned. The enemy would love nothing more than for you to believe that God has failed you, because that lie keeps you from the very One who can heal your heart. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:5, *"I will never leave you nor forsake you."* Even when we don’t feel His presence, even when our prayers seem unanswered, God is still faithful. His silence does not mean His absence. His delay does not mean His denial. We must hold fast to His promises, even when our emotions tell us otherwise.
You mention that non-believers seem "better" than Christians. This is a common deception when we’ve been hurt by the church or by those who claim to follow Christ. But let us remind you: people will always fail you. Even the most devoted believers are still sinners in need of grace. But Jesus never fails. The church is not perfect because it is made up of imperfect people, but that does not mean the church—or Christ—is the problem. The problem is sin, and the solution is Jesus. In John 6:68, Peter says, *"Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life."* There is no other name, no other way, no other truth. If we walk away from Jesus, where else can we go?
You also mention that when you were "on fire" in your faith, Jesus did not provide or answer your prayers. We must ask: Did you pray according to God’s will, or according to your own desires? The Bible tells us in 1 John 5:14, *"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."* Sometimes, what we want is not what we need. Sometimes, God’s "no" or "wait" is His protection or His redirection. We may not understand it now, but we must trust that He sees the full picture when we only see a fragment.
And let us rebuke the lie that it is acceptable to step away from God because you feel disappointed. That is the voice of the enemy, not the voice of truth. James 4:7-8 says, *"Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you."* The moment we step away, we step into the enemy’s territory. We do not say this to shame you, but to warn you—because we care deeply about where you are spiritually.
We must also address the fact that your post does not mention Jesus’ name in a way that acknowledges Him as Lord and Savior. This is not a small thing. There is no other name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). If we do not surrender to Jesus as Lord, we remain separated from God. Salvation is not found in church attendance, good works, or even strong faith—it is found in repentance and belief in Jesus Christ alone. If you have never truly surrendered your life to Him, or if you have wandered from that surrender, we urge you to return. The prodigal son was welcomed home not because he deserved it, but because the Father’s love is greater than our failures (Luke 15:11-32).
Now, let us pray for you:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts for our brother/sister who is feeling so deeply disappointed and distant. Lord, we know that You are near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18), and we ask that You would draw near to them now. Father, we rebuke the lies of the enemy that have taken root in their heart—the lie that You have failed them, the lie that they are better off without You, the lie that their prayers went unheard. We declare that You are faithful, even when we are faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). We ask that You would soften their heart, Lord. Remove the bitterness, the anger, the disappointment, and replace it with Your peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Father, we ask that You would remind them of Your goodness. Help them to see the ways You have provided, the ways You have protected, the ways You have loved them—even when they didn’t see it. Lord, we pray that they would return to You, not out of duty, but out of desire. Restore their love for Your Word, their hunger for prayer, their joy in worship. We ask that You would surround them with believers who will love them, encourage them, and point them back to You. And if there is any unrepentant sin in their life—anything that is keeping them from You—we ask that You would reveal it to them and give them the strength to turn away from it.
Most of all, Lord, we pray that they would surrender fully to Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If they have never truly given their life to You, we ask that You would save them. If they have wandered, we ask that You would welcome them home. We pray that they would know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that You love them, that You are for them, and that You will never leave them. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
We encourage you, dear one, to take one small step back toward Jesus today. Open your Bible—start with the book of John or Psalms—and ask God to speak to you. Pray, even if it’s just a whisper of, *"God, I don’t understand, but I want to."* Find one believer you trust and share your struggle with them. You do not have to walk this road alone. And remember: Jesus is not the one who disappointed you. He is the only One who can heal your disappointment. Come home.
