Silas
Beloved of All
Your heart for your family is evident in this prayer, and the Lord does hear the cries of His children at the throne of grace. You have stood on the right ground in pleading the blood of Jesus, for the cross has already overcome every power of darkness and triumphed over it, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding can guard hearts and minds. The promise remains true that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world, and no weapon formed against those who are in Christ shall finally prosper, for the Lord Himself fights for His people.
Your concern for your older daughter is a godly concern. Living together outside of marriage is not marriage in the eyes of God. Scripture is clear that we are to honor God with our bodies and flee from sexual immorality, and a living arrangement outside the covenant of marriage opens the door to spiritual bondage and deception. Long ago we see this same sorrow when a daughter went out to form an attachment outside the order God intended, and the result was folly and grief for the whole family, a thing which ought not to be done. God values your daughter deeply, and He sees the exhaustion, financial hardship, and sense of worthlessness this relationship has brought upon her, as well as the division and isolation it has brought into your home. It is right to pray that her eyes would be opened to the selfishness and unreadiness of this young man, that she would stop defending a false image of him, stop taking on a responsibility to care for him that does not belong to her, and remember that she belongs first to the Lord. She does not need to obey a man before her faith, her parents and her siblings, and she does not need his approval or his family to establish her worth.
The Lord is a God who calls His children back to family and to the place where He can be with them and deal well with them. As He told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers and to his family with the promise, I will be with you, so we can pray that your daughter hears that same gracious call to return. When Jacob was afraid, he prayed by reminding the Lord of what the Lord had already promised, that He would deal well with him. You can pray in that same way, reminding the Lord of His promise to be near, to restore, and to turn the hearts of children to their families. Pray that the stubbornness would be replaced with a hunger for righteousness, that pride or shame or pressure would be lifted, and that she would be drawn back to safety, stability, wisdom and health with a sense of freedom and joy and not regret. This includes her physical health, as you have noted her struggle to breathe and the harm of habits in that home. The Lord is able to make her see clearly and to frustrate every plan that would isolate and divide her from those who love her unconditionally.
Scripture also shows how costly it is to remain in a compromising environment. One man who had walked with the godly was strong enough to survive for a time in a corrupt place, but living there cost him his family and the morals of his children, and brought lasting sorrow. The breakdown of the family and of marriage as God designed it always brings chaos and pain. That is why it is so important to pray that your daughter does not move deeper into dependence on this situation, but is led out of it swiftly, and that her future, her finances, her reputation and her faith are guarded so that what has been built is not destroyed and does not breed resentment toward the family that has supported her.
I join you in praying for your younger daughter, that she would remain steadfast and not be swayed by an ungodly example. May the Lord protect the sweet bond between siblings and surround her with godly friendships and mentors who encourage her in the ways of the Lord, so she never sees living together outside of marriage as acceptable, and so she will one day seek a spouse who honors the Lord and the sanctity of marriage and does not enter an unequally yoked relationship. And for your son, who is a blessing and never a burden, may the Lord surround him with love, acceptance and protection. May every word spoken against him, every look of contempt, every attempt to mock or isolate or exclude him flee in Jesus name, and may he be saturated with peace and the knowledge of God's unconditional love, with his relationships to you, his sisters, caregivers and extended family strengthened. Replace any influence that looks down on him with those who will uplift and cherish him.
For your home, pray that it would be a sanctuary of God's presence where love, unity and peace reign, where what has been torn is mended and what has been wounded is healed. The Lord can restore fellowship, respect, gratefulness and joy. Pray also for His provision, not for selfish gain but that your family may be a testimony of His care, for God will supply all your need according to His riches in Christ. And as you pray for future godly spouses for your daughters, hold before the Lord the picture of marriage He has given, where a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church and leads in righteousness, and where a family seeks rest for one another that it may be well with them. There is a beautiful loyalty seen when a daughter in law clung to her mother in law saying your people shall be my people, and the kindness of a kinsman redeemer who provided covering and protection and sought her good. That is the kind of covenant love God intends for marriage, and it points to Christ Himself.
Continue to bring this young man and his mother before the Lord, that the influence that encourages your daughter to carry a burden that is not hers would be corrected, and that each would take responsibility for their own household rather than placing financial and emotional debt upon your daughter. Pray that manipulation and words that make her feel small or ashamed would be silenced, and that she would remember she is not homeless or alone but has a supportive family and a heavenly Father.
Keep standing in prayer with courage and strength, trusting that the Lord hears and will act in ways only He can. May He guard you and your children from bullying, judgment and hurtful words, and may He bring your older daughter home to rebuild her strength, her health and her future for His glory. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
Your concern for your older daughter is a godly concern. Living together outside of marriage is not marriage in the eyes of God. Scripture is clear that we are to honor God with our bodies and flee from sexual immorality, and a living arrangement outside the covenant of marriage opens the door to spiritual bondage and deception. Long ago we see this same sorrow when a daughter went out to form an attachment outside the order God intended, and the result was folly and grief for the whole family, a thing which ought not to be done. God values your daughter deeply, and He sees the exhaustion, financial hardship, and sense of worthlessness this relationship has brought upon her, as well as the division and isolation it has brought into your home. It is right to pray that her eyes would be opened to the selfishness and unreadiness of this young man, that she would stop defending a false image of him, stop taking on a responsibility to care for him that does not belong to her, and remember that she belongs first to the Lord. She does not need to obey a man before her faith, her parents and her siblings, and she does not need his approval or his family to establish her worth.
The Lord is a God who calls His children back to family and to the place where He can be with them and deal well with them. As He told Jacob to return to the land of his fathers and to his family with the promise, I will be with you, so we can pray that your daughter hears that same gracious call to return. When Jacob was afraid, he prayed by reminding the Lord of what the Lord had already promised, that He would deal well with him. You can pray in that same way, reminding the Lord of His promise to be near, to restore, and to turn the hearts of children to their families. Pray that the stubbornness would be replaced with a hunger for righteousness, that pride or shame or pressure would be lifted, and that she would be drawn back to safety, stability, wisdom and health with a sense of freedom and joy and not regret. This includes her physical health, as you have noted her struggle to breathe and the harm of habits in that home. The Lord is able to make her see clearly and to frustrate every plan that would isolate and divide her from those who love her unconditionally.
Scripture also shows how costly it is to remain in a compromising environment. One man who had walked with the godly was strong enough to survive for a time in a corrupt place, but living there cost him his family and the morals of his children, and brought lasting sorrow. The breakdown of the family and of marriage as God designed it always brings chaos and pain. That is why it is so important to pray that your daughter does not move deeper into dependence on this situation, but is led out of it swiftly, and that her future, her finances, her reputation and her faith are guarded so that what has been built is not destroyed and does not breed resentment toward the family that has supported her.
I join you in praying for your younger daughter, that she would remain steadfast and not be swayed by an ungodly example. May the Lord protect the sweet bond between siblings and surround her with godly friendships and mentors who encourage her in the ways of the Lord, so she never sees living together outside of marriage as acceptable, and so she will one day seek a spouse who honors the Lord and the sanctity of marriage and does not enter an unequally yoked relationship. And for your son, who is a blessing and never a burden, may the Lord surround him with love, acceptance and protection. May every word spoken against him, every look of contempt, every attempt to mock or isolate or exclude him flee in Jesus name, and may he be saturated with peace and the knowledge of God's unconditional love, with his relationships to you, his sisters, caregivers and extended family strengthened. Replace any influence that looks down on him with those who will uplift and cherish him.
For your home, pray that it would be a sanctuary of God's presence where love, unity and peace reign, where what has been torn is mended and what has been wounded is healed. The Lord can restore fellowship, respect, gratefulness and joy. Pray also for His provision, not for selfish gain but that your family may be a testimony of His care, for God will supply all your need according to His riches in Christ. And as you pray for future godly spouses for your daughters, hold before the Lord the picture of marriage He has given, where a husband loves his wife as Christ loves the church and leads in righteousness, and where a family seeks rest for one another that it may be well with them. There is a beautiful loyalty seen when a daughter in law clung to her mother in law saying your people shall be my people, and the kindness of a kinsman redeemer who provided covering and protection and sought her good. That is the kind of covenant love God intends for marriage, and it points to Christ Himself.
Continue to bring this young man and his mother before the Lord, that the influence that encourages your daughter to carry a burden that is not hers would be corrected, and that each would take responsibility for their own household rather than placing financial and emotional debt upon your daughter. Pray that manipulation and words that make her feel small or ashamed would be silenced, and that she would remember she is not homeless or alone but has a supportive family and a heavenly Father.
Keep standing in prayer with courage and strength, trusting that the Lord hears and will act in ways only He can. May He guard you and your children from bullying, judgment and hurtful words, and may He bring your older daughter home to rebuild her strength, her health and her future for His glory. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
