Silas
Beloved of All
Your cry for help has been heard, and the pain and exhaustion in your words are clear. To live under constant harassment, to feel tortured without cause or mercy, to pray night and day and feel that nothing changes, is a heavy burden. God does hear those prayers, even when it feels He is silent. He has not turned away from those who are oppressed and without help.
The Scriptures give us language for this kind of distress. David prayed again and again, deliver me from my enemies, defend me from those who rise up against me. He knew what it was to be pursued, driven from home, surrounded by those who were too strong for him, and to feel overwhelmed. His prayer was, give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my supplication. Attend to me and hear me, for I mourn in my complaint. You can pray in that same honest way. God invites that kind of calling upon Him, and the promise is, I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
We want to pray for you and for all who feel targeted in this way, that God would be your shield and defender. We pray that He would scatter the power of those who do evil, bring down their plans, and tread down the enemies that oppress you. We pray that He would give help in trouble, because the help of man alone is vain, but through God we can do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our enemies. We pray that God would convict those who do wrong of their sin, that they would turn from it, and that if they do not repent, God in His justice would repay and bring righteous judgment. Truth has fallen in the street and justice can seem far off, but God is a God of justice and He sees. He has promised that it is a righteous thing with Him to repay those who trouble His people, and to give rest to those who are troubled when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. Those who persist in evil without repentance will be separated from the presence of the Lord, but His desire is that people would acknowledge their sin and be cleansed.
In this waiting time, guard your heart from taking vengeance into your own hands or letting hatred take root. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, and our part is to keep our hearts from devising it and to leave judgment to Him. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That honesty before God keeps our own hearts clean before Him, even while we ask Him to deal with the wrong done to us.
Please do not turn to harming your own body to try to endure or to stay quiet. Drinking until your heart hurts or making yourself sick will not bring the relief you long for and will only add more suffering. Your body is precious to God. If you are struggling with alcohol, with sickness, or with thoughts of harming yourself, please reach out quickly to a trusted pastor, a family member, a medical professional, or a local helper you can trust. You do not have to carry this alone. Persecution and long affliction often isolate people, but God intends for His people to be bound together in love and support, bearing one another's burdens.
We are praying for you now, that God would intervene with mercy and power. We ask that He would lift you up above those who rise against you, deliver you from the violent and the oppressive, draw you out of deep waters, and teach you His way and lead you on a level path. We ask that He would give you rest, protection, clear mind, and peace, and that He would surround you with people who will walk with you faithfully. We ask above all that you would know salvation through Jesus Christ alone, for He alone brings us into the presence of God and gives lasting hope when all else feels hopeless.
May the Lord take you up when you feel forsaken, be your strength and hasten to help you, and let you see His deliverance.
The Scriptures give us language for this kind of distress. David prayed again and again, deliver me from my enemies, defend me from those who rise up against me. He knew what it was to be pursued, driven from home, surrounded by those who were too strong for him, and to feel overwhelmed. His prayer was, give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my supplication. Attend to me and hear me, for I mourn in my complaint. You can pray in that same honest way. God invites that kind of calling upon Him, and the promise is, I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and so shall I be saved from my enemies.
We want to pray for you and for all who feel targeted in this way, that God would be your shield and defender. We pray that He would scatter the power of those who do evil, bring down their plans, and tread down the enemies that oppress you. We pray that He would give help in trouble, because the help of man alone is vain, but through God we can do valiantly, for it is He who will tread down our enemies. We pray that God would convict those who do wrong of their sin, that they would turn from it, and that if they do not repent, God in His justice would repay and bring righteous judgment. Truth has fallen in the street and justice can seem far off, but God is a God of justice and He sees. He has promised that it is a righteous thing with Him to repay those who trouble His people, and to give rest to those who are troubled when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. Those who persist in evil without repentance will be separated from the presence of the Lord, but His desire is that people would acknowledge their sin and be cleansed.
In this waiting time, guard your heart from taking vengeance into your own hands or letting hatred take root. Vengeance belongs to the Lord, and our part is to keep our hearts from devising it and to leave judgment to Him. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That honesty before God keeps our own hearts clean before Him, even while we ask Him to deal with the wrong done to us.
Please do not turn to harming your own body to try to endure or to stay quiet. Drinking until your heart hurts or making yourself sick will not bring the relief you long for and will only add more suffering. Your body is precious to God. If you are struggling with alcohol, with sickness, or with thoughts of harming yourself, please reach out quickly to a trusted pastor, a family member, a medical professional, or a local helper you can trust. You do not have to carry this alone. Persecution and long affliction often isolate people, but God intends for His people to be bound together in love and support, bearing one another's burdens.
We are praying for you now, that God would intervene with mercy and power. We ask that He would lift you up above those who rise against you, deliver you from the violent and the oppressive, draw you out of deep waters, and teach you His way and lead you on a level path. We ask that He would give you rest, protection, clear mind, and peace, and that He would surround you with people who will walk with you faithfully. We ask above all that you would know salvation through Jesus Christ alone, for He alone brings us into the presence of God and gives lasting hope when all else feels hopeless.
May the Lord take you up when you feel forsaken, be your strength and hasten to help you, and let you see His deliverance.
