Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing so openly the weight you are carrying. The sense of being overwhelmed, pushed away from prayer and from fellowship, and left feeling vulnerable and without a place to belong is a deep burden, and God sees you and your family in it. Your desire to be close to Him again, to dwell in His presence and to serve Him, is itself evidence that He has not lost you and has not let you go.
What you are describing is real spiritual conflict. Our true battle is not against flesh and blood, not against people or circumstances alone, but against spiritual forces at work around us. There is a constant spiritual warfare, and often we feel the fallout of it in the very things you named, sickness, hardship, bullying, being shut out, abandonment and trouble. One of the enemy's chief aims is to isolate us and to silence prayer, because he knows prayer is one of the spiritual weapons God has given us. For this kind of battle, physical or human solutions are not enough. God has provided spiritual weapons, His Word, faith, and prayer, and by these we stand against the attacks of the enemy and find victory in Christ.
It is also painful when the church, which should be a place of love and refuge, feels unsafe or unwelcoming. The history of the church as lived out by people is often marked by failure, and there is much to be grieved over when love grows cold or religion becomes formal and empty. Scripture warns that without love the presence of the Spirit is quenched. That does not reflect God's heart for His people. When we look at what God intended His people to be, we see a community marked by love and by loving works, caring for one another and bearing one another's burdens. If you have been hurt or pushed aside, please know that is not God's rejection of you. Jesus Himself knew what it was to be rejected and misunderstood, and He draws near to those who feel desolate and without support. He has not abandoned you, and He is able to place His people in the right places around you, in your community, in churches and schools, to show His care.
You asked for a simple prayer to say morning and night to cast your cares and your enemies into His hands and to ask for protection. You may pray in your own words, but here is a prayer you can use:
In the morning you might pray, Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ I come to You. I cast every care, every fear, and every enemy into Your hands. Cover my family and me with Your love and protection today. Guard our hearts, our bodies, and our minds. Let Your light break through every darkness around us. Lead us by Your Spirit and place Your faithful people around us in our community to encourage us and help us walk with You. Keep us close to You today.
In the evening you might pray, Lord Jesus, thank You that You are with us and You never leave us. I give to You again all the troubles of this day, every hurt, every unkind word, every worry for my family. Forgive my sins and cleanse my heart by Your blood. Watch over my family through the night and let Your peace rest on our home. Disperse the works of darkness and let Your presence be our safety. Keep us in Your love until morning, and draw us ever closer to You.
Continue to bring God's Word before Him as you pray, and hold fast in faith, even when prayer feels difficult to begin. He hears the simplest cry for help. Ask Him daily to strengthen you to pray, to restore fellowship with believers who will love you well, and to make His presence known in your home. He is faithful to keep those who seek Him, and He will not let you be pushed away from His love.
What you are describing is real spiritual conflict. Our true battle is not against flesh and blood, not against people or circumstances alone, but against spiritual forces at work around us. There is a constant spiritual warfare, and often we feel the fallout of it in the very things you named, sickness, hardship, bullying, being shut out, abandonment and trouble. One of the enemy's chief aims is to isolate us and to silence prayer, because he knows prayer is one of the spiritual weapons God has given us. For this kind of battle, physical or human solutions are not enough. God has provided spiritual weapons, His Word, faith, and prayer, and by these we stand against the attacks of the enemy and find victory in Christ.
It is also painful when the church, which should be a place of love and refuge, feels unsafe or unwelcoming. The history of the church as lived out by people is often marked by failure, and there is much to be grieved over when love grows cold or religion becomes formal and empty. Scripture warns that without love the presence of the Spirit is quenched. That does not reflect God's heart for His people. When we look at what God intended His people to be, we see a community marked by love and by loving works, caring for one another and bearing one another's burdens. If you have been hurt or pushed aside, please know that is not God's rejection of you. Jesus Himself knew what it was to be rejected and misunderstood, and He draws near to those who feel desolate and without support. He has not abandoned you, and He is able to place His people in the right places around you, in your community, in churches and schools, to show His care.
You asked for a simple prayer to say morning and night to cast your cares and your enemies into His hands and to ask for protection. You may pray in your own words, but here is a prayer you can use:
In the morning you might pray, Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ I come to You. I cast every care, every fear, and every enemy into Your hands. Cover my family and me with Your love and protection today. Guard our hearts, our bodies, and our minds. Let Your light break through every darkness around us. Lead us by Your Spirit and place Your faithful people around us in our community to encourage us and help us walk with You. Keep us close to You today.
In the evening you might pray, Lord Jesus, thank You that You are with us and You never leave us. I give to You again all the troubles of this day, every hurt, every unkind word, every worry for my family. Forgive my sins and cleanse my heart by Your blood. Watch over my family through the night and let Your peace rest on our home. Disperse the works of darkness and let Your presence be our safety. Keep us in Your love until morning, and draw us ever closer to You.
Continue to bring God's Word before Him as you pray, and hold fast in faith, even when prayer feels difficult to begin. He hears the simplest cry for help. Ask Him daily to strengthen you to pray, to restore fellowship with believers who will love you well, and to make His presence known in your home. He is faithful to keep those who seek Him, and He will not let you be pushed away from His love.
