Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing what you have been through and for asking for prayer. It is a terrible thing to live with a life threatening danger in your own home, and I thank God with you that He preserved your life and brought you out. The fear and distress that comes from electric shocks, from wondering if someone entered your home, and from being shouted at with false accusations, is real, and it is right to bring it all before the Lord.
Only God knows the heart and the true intentions of every person. You are right to leave that judgment to Him. What we can hold to is what Scripture says, that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all, and that He watches over those who trust Him. That does not mean God caused the danger. We should not blame God for death or for the evil and carelessness of people. The evil, the deception, and the harm come from sin in this fallen world. God is the one who delivers, who protects, and who is always looking for a way to show mercy and to pardon when hearts turn to Him.
You asked for prayer that the truth would be made clear. That is a right prayer. The truth is not a passing thing. The truth of God dwells in His people and remains forever, and Jesus said His words are truth. People can tell lies and can be deceived by lies, and sometimes those who deceive mix much truth with a little falsehood which makes it harder to discern. But God is not deceived. He sees what was done in secret, whether harm to a heating system or tampering with safety devices or anything else, and in His time He brings what is hidden into the light. We can pray that if wrong was done, it will be exposed so that no one else is endangered, and that those who love truth will recognize it and walk in it. There is no greater joy than to see people walking in truth, and to love one another truly in that truth.
You also asked for prayer for the landlord and for the woman who accused you, and for the other residents. I join you in praying that God would soften hard hearts and give a heart of flesh instead of hardness, that He would break through arrogance and abusive speech, and that He would bring conviction that leads to honesty and responsibility. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, and when a person begins to fear God they begin to turn from evil and to do what is right. God takes no pleasure in hardness. He looks for a reason to forgive, and His love has already been demonstrated once for all at the cross where He gave His Son to be the payment for our sins. That love is not a feeling that keeps accounts, but a giving love that seeks the good of the other. It is that love we want to see at work in these people, and in ourselves.
When you are reviled and falsely accused, the hurt is deep, especially when you know the accusation is not true. Jesus left us an example in this very place. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. He entrusted Himself to the Father who judges righteously. You do not need to return evil for evil. You can follow what is good, continue to walk in truth, and entrust your reputation and your safety to God. He can be your confidence and keep your foot from being taken when sudden fear comes. He is your defense more than any wall or argument.
So I pray for you now, and for them.
Father, thank You that You saw this child in danger and delivered from harm. Thank You that Your eye is on those who trust You and that You keep them. I ask that You surround this dear one with Your peace and with protection from all further harm and from every false accusation. Let Your truth be made clear in this situation. If there was intentional wrongdoing that endangered life, expose it so that justice can be done and others protected. If there was negligence and dishonesty, bring it to light as well.
Work in the hearts of the landlord and of the woman who has acted in anger and accusation. Break the hardness, take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh. Bring them to hate evil and to love truth. Grant them godly sorrow that leads to repentance, that they would stop lying, take responsibility where it is due, and seek to make right what was done wrong. Touch the other residents as well, that they would see clearly and not be led by rumor or deception.
Help this one who has been afflicted to rest in Your grace, mercy and peace which come in truth and love. Heal the memory of fear, guard against bitterness, and teach how to love with Your giving love while still walking wisely. Keep this life quiet from the fear of evil, trusting that You are near and that You will one day redeem and make all things right. In the name of Jesus Christ, our only Savior, who is God come in the flesh and who died and rose for us, amen.
If there remains any ongoing danger or evidence of tampering, please also seek wise and lawful help for your safety, keep a careful record of what happened, and seek counsel from mature believers near you who can support you in person. May the Lord keep you in His love, fill you with His Spirit, and help you to hold fast to His truth.
Only God knows the heart and the true intentions of every person. You are right to leave that judgment to Him. What we can hold to is what Scripture says, that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all, and that He watches over those who trust Him. That does not mean God caused the danger. We should not blame God for death or for the evil and carelessness of people. The evil, the deception, and the harm come from sin in this fallen world. God is the one who delivers, who protects, and who is always looking for a way to show mercy and to pardon when hearts turn to Him.
You asked for prayer that the truth would be made clear. That is a right prayer. The truth is not a passing thing. The truth of God dwells in His people and remains forever, and Jesus said His words are truth. People can tell lies and can be deceived by lies, and sometimes those who deceive mix much truth with a little falsehood which makes it harder to discern. But God is not deceived. He sees what was done in secret, whether harm to a heating system or tampering with safety devices or anything else, and in His time He brings what is hidden into the light. We can pray that if wrong was done, it will be exposed so that no one else is endangered, and that those who love truth will recognize it and walk in it. There is no greater joy than to see people walking in truth, and to love one another truly in that truth.
You also asked for prayer for the landlord and for the woman who accused you, and for the other residents. I join you in praying that God would soften hard hearts and give a heart of flesh instead of hardness, that He would break through arrogance and abusive speech, and that He would bring conviction that leads to honesty and responsibility. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil, and when a person begins to fear God they begin to turn from evil and to do what is right. God takes no pleasure in hardness. He looks for a reason to forgive, and His love has already been demonstrated once for all at the cross where He gave His Son to be the payment for our sins. That love is not a feeling that keeps accounts, but a giving love that seeks the good of the other. It is that love we want to see at work in these people, and in ourselves.
When you are reviled and falsely accused, the hurt is deep, especially when you know the accusation is not true. Jesus left us an example in this very place. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return. He entrusted Himself to the Father who judges righteously. You do not need to return evil for evil. You can follow what is good, continue to walk in truth, and entrust your reputation and your safety to God. He can be your confidence and keep your foot from being taken when sudden fear comes. He is your defense more than any wall or argument.
So I pray for you now, and for them.
Father, thank You that You saw this child in danger and delivered from harm. Thank You that Your eye is on those who trust You and that You keep them. I ask that You surround this dear one with Your peace and with protection from all further harm and from every false accusation. Let Your truth be made clear in this situation. If there was intentional wrongdoing that endangered life, expose it so that justice can be done and others protected. If there was negligence and dishonesty, bring it to light as well.
Work in the hearts of the landlord and of the woman who has acted in anger and accusation. Break the hardness, take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh. Bring them to hate evil and to love truth. Grant them godly sorrow that leads to repentance, that they would stop lying, take responsibility where it is due, and seek to make right what was done wrong. Touch the other residents as well, that they would see clearly and not be led by rumor or deception.
Help this one who has been afflicted to rest in Your grace, mercy and peace which come in truth and love. Heal the memory of fear, guard against bitterness, and teach how to love with Your giving love while still walking wisely. Keep this life quiet from the fear of evil, trusting that You are near and that You will one day redeem and make all things right. In the name of Jesus Christ, our only Savior, who is God come in the flesh and who died and rose for us, amen.
If there remains any ongoing danger or evidence of tampering, please also seek wise and lawful help for your safety, keep a careful record of what happened, and seek counsel from mature believers near you who can support you in person. May the Lord keep you in His love, fill you with His Spirit, and help you to hold fast to His truth.
