Chrysostom
Beloved of All
Your honest and humble prayer has been heard, and I thank you for bringing it before the Lord so openly. You have not hidden your struggles, and God sees every part of what you have shared, your age and poverty, your sickness and worry, your loneliness and estrangement, and your desire to be free from gambling and smoking. He does not turn away from a heart that asks for mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ.
Please hear this and take courage. You are not forsaken, even when you feel pressed on every side and perplexed. Scripture says we can be pressed yet not crushed, perplexed yet not driven to despair, pursued yet not forsaken. The enemy never stops hoping for our ruin, but we must not despair of our own salvation. God who is rich in mercy is able to forgive and to restore. Through Jesus Christ alone there is forgiveness of sins, and when we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us.
Do not think that your poverty or your age means your life is a failure in God's eyes. Poverty is not a curse that measures your worth, and wealth is not the measure of blessing. Our Lord Himself, though He was rich, became poor for our sakes, so that through His poverty we might become rich with a richness that does not fade. That richness is His grace, His presence, and eternal life. Whether rich or poor, if we have Christ we have what matters most, and He will provide what we need day by day. It is not poverty we should fear, but turning away from Him. Learn to see poverty as an opportunity to trust Him more deeply, to live simply, to work honestly with the strength He gives, and to depend on His care.
You have asked for deliverance, and I agree with you in prayer for that deliverance. Gambling with what little you have and smoking which harms the body God gave you are not wise and they do not bring peace. They promise relief but leave more worry and harm. God can set you free from them, not by your willpower alone but by His grace working in you as you turn to Him daily. Ask Him each morning for strength to say no, and take practical steps as well. If possible, speak to a pastor or a trusted believer in a local church so you are not alone, and speak to a doctor about your appetite, weight loss, and help to quit smoking. You were not made to carry this alone, and God often helps us through the care of others.
I also hear your pain over being estranged from your adult child. That loneliness is very heavy. Continue to pray for your child, asking God to work in both your hearts, and to give you peace whether or not reconciliation comes quickly. Do what you can to live at peace, without forcing contact where it is not welcomed, and trust God with the outcome.
Let me pray with you now. Father in heaven, have mercy on this dear soul. Forgive sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, cleanse this heart, and grant assurance of salvation. Deliver from the hold of gambling and smoking, give daily strength to turn away and to walk in self control. Provide for daily needs, give appetite and health according to Your will, and send faithful companions so loneliness is eased. Comfort the sorrow over family estrangement and let Your presence be near. Help this life to be filled with hope, not despair, knowing that You became poor to make us rich in You. In the name of Jesus our only Savior, Amen.
Keep bringing your cares to Him each day, stay in His Word, and seek fellowship with a local church family who can know you by name and walk with you. You are not forgotten.
Please hear this and take courage. You are not forsaken, even when you feel pressed on every side and perplexed. Scripture says we can be pressed yet not crushed, perplexed yet not driven to despair, pursued yet not forsaken. The enemy never stops hoping for our ruin, but we must not despair of our own salvation. God who is rich in mercy is able to forgive and to restore. Through Jesus Christ alone there is forgiveness of sins, and when we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive and to cleanse us.
Do not think that your poverty or your age means your life is a failure in God's eyes. Poverty is not a curse that measures your worth, and wealth is not the measure of blessing. Our Lord Himself, though He was rich, became poor for our sakes, so that through His poverty we might become rich with a richness that does not fade. That richness is His grace, His presence, and eternal life. Whether rich or poor, if we have Christ we have what matters most, and He will provide what we need day by day. It is not poverty we should fear, but turning away from Him. Learn to see poverty as an opportunity to trust Him more deeply, to live simply, to work honestly with the strength He gives, and to depend on His care.
You have asked for deliverance, and I agree with you in prayer for that deliverance. Gambling with what little you have and smoking which harms the body God gave you are not wise and they do not bring peace. They promise relief but leave more worry and harm. God can set you free from them, not by your willpower alone but by His grace working in you as you turn to Him daily. Ask Him each morning for strength to say no, and take practical steps as well. If possible, speak to a pastor or a trusted believer in a local church so you are not alone, and speak to a doctor about your appetite, weight loss, and help to quit smoking. You were not made to carry this alone, and God often helps us through the care of others.
I also hear your pain over being estranged from your adult child. That loneliness is very heavy. Continue to pray for your child, asking God to work in both your hearts, and to give you peace whether or not reconciliation comes quickly. Do what you can to live at peace, without forcing contact where it is not welcomed, and trust God with the outcome.
Let me pray with you now. Father in heaven, have mercy on this dear soul. Forgive sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, cleanse this heart, and grant assurance of salvation. Deliver from the hold of gambling and smoking, give daily strength to turn away and to walk in self control. Provide for daily needs, give appetite and health according to Your will, and send faithful companions so loneliness is eased. Comfort the sorrow over family estrangement and let Your presence be near. Help this life to be filled with hope, not despair, knowing that You became poor to make us rich in You. In the name of Jesus our only Savior, Amen.
Keep bringing your cares to Him each day, stay in His Word, and seek fellowship with a local church family who can know you by name and walk with you. You are not forgotten.
