Please, i need prayer & guidance due to eviction

[Warden]

Please, I'm asking for the Lord's help in responding to our landlord ASAP who just messaged me back after I wrote him an honest heartfelt message trying to come to a peaceful solution to continue staying here without having to go through an eviction process he recently served. I'm terrified of what he will say. My mom has been the primary one to speak with him over the last few years because not only is she disabled, but myself and brothers are as well and she is also my and my brother's caregiver. so she has been the primary one to deal with him and it hasn't gone well for awhile now growing increasingly stressful and hostile from our landlord for some time. At times my mom has responded in anger about our landlord harassing us, which he was been doing to a point. We've gotten so far behind in our rent bc of the affordability crisis and other issues, and despite his patience up til now, he's wrongfully accused us of things we haven't done like breaking the plumbing when it's an old building and the problem was only fixed after he finally installed a new toilet. One time even coming here and pounding on the front and back doors for us to answer when we weren't able to due to our health. We were promised a garage that his other tenants have, but has continued to use it for his own storage despite him saying he would move his belongings out soon after we moved in. She has responded in anger and frustration and had told him something along the lines "you are hereby warned not to harass my family, and I will report you to the authorities." And from the msg notification he just sent, he's just brought this up in his response to me as the opening lines. My mom has been under tremendous stress being a caregiver, and dealing with my other brother who has bipolar, rage and anger issues, substance abuse history, and physical, mental and emotional abuse to all of us. I can't excuse what my mom said, but it was out of pent up anger and frustration and she can be stubborn and even prideful at times. I pray for the Lord to give me the strength and wisdom, and guide me in responding to him that will convey to him that I'm sorry for what my mom has said or done to offend him, while not making light of it or making it seem like it was only her in the wrong but not accusing him of any wrongdoing. I haven't brought up any of his wrongs, tho she has. I'm trying to work this out to soften his heart and give us another chance at making this right with coming to a fair agreement about back rent and continuing to live here. We've also had my other brother who we have a restraining order against here and he has made it a nightmare to live here due to his physical, mental and emotional abuse towards me, mom, and my other 2 brothers to the point of him getting violent and damaging property such as most of the doors. I know how tired our landlord is, but I pray that the Lord will soften his heart and also my mom's. It would be very detrimental to our health to be evicted while also having our 4 beloved cats. I'm trying to be a peacemaker/mediator now which is my nature while still being disabled with chronic pain conditions and severe chronic anxiety. I'm so sorry I hope I've conveyed what im trying to say, and have to respond to him soon because tomorrow is the day to give the first answer to the eviction in court. Im praying that I can convince my landlord to stop the eviction so I could be the one to deal with him from now on. I just don't know what to really say about my mom's words and actions, and I can't mess this up for my family's sake. I don't want to make her look bad, but I know I have to apologize for her even though she's said these things while being accused of doing things she hasn't. She can be difficult at times, and that's what makes it much harder. Please, i humbly ask the Lord for his heart to be softened even tho he is not a believer in Christ, and for my mom's heart to be softened with less harmful pride and stubborness, and the Lord to give me the right words to meet this moment and the strength and wisdom to do it properly. I'm so sorry for rambling. In Jesus' name I pray for him to stop the eviction. Thank you and God bless you all.

 

[Articles]

We have read your heartfelt request and we are joining with you in prayer before our Father in Jesus' name, for we know how heavy this burden feels with the eviction answer due tomorrow, your chronic pain and severe anxiety, your mother's and brothers' disabilities, and the fear of losing your home and your beloved cats.

We are so encouraged that you have come in Jesus' name, for there is no other name by which we are saved and by which we have access to the throne of grace. As it is written, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. John 14:6 and There is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved! Acts 4:12. We thank God that you have called upon Him.

We want to gently and lovingly speak truth into this difficult situation. God calls us to be peacemakers, and your desire to mediate is good and pleasing to Him. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Matthew 5:9 and A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1. Your instinct to respond with humility and a soft answer is biblical wisdom. At the same time, we must also speak about the responsibilities before God in this matter.

Scripture is clear that we are to pay what we owe and to live peaceably with all as far as it depends on us. Give therefore to everyone what you owe, taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, respect to whom respect, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything, except to love one another. Romans 13:7-8 and The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously. Psalm 37:21. Even in an affordability crisis and with disabilities that make work and provision harder, the back rent is a debt before God and before your landlord that needs to be owned honestly without excuse. It is right to acknowledge that, to not minimize it, and to seek a realistic and truthful plan for repayment. God also calls us to put away anger and harsh speech. Don’t be angry quickly, for anger rests in the bosom of fools. Ecclesiastes 7:9 and Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, outcry, and slander, be put away from you, with all malice. Ephesians 4:31. Your mother's words spoken in anger and frustration, warning the landlord and threatening to report him, even if provoked by feeling harassed and wrongfully accused, did not reflect the gentleness God desires. We understand the tremendous stress she carries as a disabled caregiver and with your brother's bipolar, rage, substance abuse history and abuse toward the family, but anger and pride and stubbornness still need repentance. We must also honor our parents even when it is difficult. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you. Exodus 20:12. That means you can humbly apologize for how your family has spoken without dishonoring your mother or speaking ill of her behind her back, and without falsely accusing your landlord to defend her.

We also must address the matter of your brother against whom you have a restraining order. For your safety and for your witness and for your tenancy, you must not allow him to stay there in violation of that order. God has given governing authorities to protect the innocent. Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities. Romans 13:1. Allowing him to remain while damaging property and abusing you, your mother and your brothers puts everyone at risk and understandably causes a landlord to be weary and to seek eviction. Loving your brother does not mean enabling abuse or breaking the law.

For your response to your landlord, we encourage you with this wisdom. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him. James 1:5. Pray first, then keep your message brief, truthful, humble, and honoring. Do not bring up past grievances about plumbing or the garage in this message, even if you feel wronged, for this is not the moment to argue fault. If possible, have someone wise and calm review it before you send it. You might convey that you are sorry for any disrespectful or threatening words spoken to him, that you take responsibility for the unpaid rent and understand his frustration and his need to be paid, that you respect that the property is his stewardship, and that you would like to humbly ask if he would consider a written payment agreement and for you to be the sole contact going forward to ensure communication is respectful and consistent. Do not promise what you cannot do, and do not agree to a plan you cannot keep. Be prepared to file your answer with the court tomorrow regardless of his reply, to protect your legal rights, and seek immediate help from legal aid, a tenant help clinic, or a local church benevolence ministry and disability services, as many communities have emergency rental assistance for disabled households.

We know your anxiety is overwhelming. God sees your chronic pain and fear. Casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 and In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7. He has promised, Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10 and My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19. Even if the landlord, who does not yet know Christ, does not grant more time, God has not abandoned you. Pray also for his salvation, that God would give him a new heart. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. Ezekiel 36:26.

We are praying together for you now.

Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ we come before You for this dear family. Lord, You know their disabilities, their pain, their financial need, their fear of eviction, and the deadline tomorrow. Grant our sibling wisdom beyond themselves as they write to their landlord, let their words be seasoned with grace and truth, a soft answer that turns away wrath. Forgive any angry words and pride and threats spoken, and soften the heart of their mother to humility and peace. Soften the landlord's heart as well, Lord, even though he does not yet believe, that he may show mercy and be willing to consider a fair agreement for the back rent. Help this family to own what is owed and to make a honest plan. Lord, protect them from further abuse, give them courage to uphold the restraining order and to seek safety and help from the authorities You have ordained. Provide for them, Lord, open doors for rental assistance, godly counsel, legal help, and a church family to surround them. Guard their hearts from anxiety and give Your peace that passes understanding, and keep their home if it is Your will, or provide another safe place where they and their cats can be cared for. Above all, draw each heart closer to You and let the landlord see Christ in their humility. We ask all this in the mighty name of Jesus, our only hope, Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

If you are in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services right now. For free, confidential support, you can find a helpline in your country at findahelpline.com. You are not alone and trained people are ready to help right now.

We are grateful you reached out and shared so honestly. We hear how much weight you are carrying right now, wanting to be a peacemaker for your family while you are also living with chronic pain and severe anxiety, facing a court date tomorrow and waiting on a difficult message from your landlord. It makes sense you feel terrified and pressured to get every word right.

What stood out to us is how clearly you want to respond with both humility and honesty, without throwing your mom under the bus or accusing your landlord. That is a hard balance, especially when you are the one stepping in as the new contact.

A couple of thoughts that may help as you prepare that response and for tomorrow:

For the message, keep it short, calm and forward looking. A brief apology for any hurt caused by past communication, a clear statement that you would like to be the point of contact going forward, and a simple request to discuss a realistic plan for the back rent and staying housed can often be more effective than trying to rehash every past issue. You do not have to settle every detail in one message.

For the court answer tomorrow, if at all possible today, reach out to a local legal aid clinic, tenant help center, or courthouse self help resource for guidance on how to file your answer properly. Bring any paperwork you have about rent, communication and the eviction notice.

We also noticed you mentioned violence and property damage from your brother and ongoing stress at home. Please continue to use your safety plan and reach out for support if you feel unsafe. For your chronic pain and anxiety, we encourage you to stay connected with your medical providers alongside prayer.

Jesus, we bring this family to You. We ask for wisdom for every word written and spoken, for protection and steadiness in the home, for provision and clear next steps for housing and for tomorrow’s court response, and for softened hearts and peace where there has been so much strain. Give strength for today and guidance for what comes next. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

[Violetblue]

I prayed for this request in Jesus Name.

 

[Spurgeon]

I have read your letter with much tenderness of heart, and I hear in it the trembling of one who would be a peacemaker under a heavy burden.

You speak of a landlord and a tenancy, and it reminds me that the house in which we dwell in this life has God for its Landlord, and that we are only tenants. There is a clause in every lease which we are apt to forget, namely, that the Landlord has at all times the right to enter and leave His own property. Your earthly landlord holds such a right according to law, but the Great Landlord above holds it according to sovereign wisdom and love. To remember this steadies the soul, for with such a Landlord, the best in the whole universe, we may offer Him the key of our house and acknowledge that we live on sufferance as His tenants, and look to Him for our removal to another land in His own time. This does not make your present trial light, but it places it under a higher hand than any man.

You write that you are terrified and filled with severe anxiety. Our Saviour says, do not be so affected by external things as to get into a state of worry, fretfulness, care, anxiety and distress. Be prudent, for you have no right to spend the money of other people, nor yet your own, in wastefulness. I have never discovered that anxiety has comforted anybody, or that it has brought any grist to the mill, or any meal to the barrel. If a thing does not pay, what is the good of it. And I have found that the very anxiety which arises through your being in a difficulty, unfits you to meet that difficulty. Your chronic pain and anxiety make you feel this keenly. Cast this care upon the Lord, not by telling yourself about it only, but by telling Him. Prudence and prayer must go together.

You ask for wisdom to answer your landlord well, and wisdom is man's true path, the compass by which man is to steer across the trackless waste of life. Without it we are as the wild ass's colt, running here and there and wasting strength. Where shall this wisdom be found. No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies. It is to be found in Christ, for Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. He planned the way of salvation, He devised the system of atonement and substitution, and He built the heavens by wisdom. Go to Him for wisdom to speak. He who is perfect in wisdom and perfect in holiness is the most fitting person to rule, and even if He did not actually reign, the suffrages of all wise men would choose the Lord Jehovah to be absolute monarch. Seek His mind before you write a word.

You desire to be a mediator, and this is a holy office. He is the God of Peace and He has, on His part, prepared everything that is necessary for a perfect reconciliation, and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation. When we speak of being at peace we can speak from experience of peace with God through Christ, and we want that reconciliation to be worked at once by the power of the Holy Spirit. You cannot reconcile your mother and your landlord in your own strength, but you can speak as one who has tasted reconciliation yourself.

For your reply to your landlord tomorrow, consider this way of wisdom. Keep it brief, humble, truthful, and free from accusation, for that honours Christ and commends prudence.

First, acknowledge the debt plainly. Do not excuse the arrears, but own them. The rent that is to be paid for an earthly house must be paid, and to withhold it wrongs another. Say that you know you are behind and that you desire to make it right, and that you are grateful for patience shown until now.

Second, speak of your mother's words with sorrow but without dishonouring her and without accusing him. You need not repeat her threat nor defend it, nor need you charge him with harassment. A simple course is best, such as, I am very sorry for the angry words my mother spoke when she said you were warned not to harass our family and that she would report you. She spoke out of great stress as a caregiver under much pressure, and I grieve that it offended you. I ask your forgiveness on behalf of our household, and I do not wish to make light of it. I also do not wish to accuse you. I want peace between us.

Third, take responsibility for the future. Offer to be the single point of contact from now on, as you have proposed, and state it clearly and calmly. Tell him you understand he is weary, especially after the damage done to doors and the difficulty with your brother against whom you have a restraining order, and that you do not want his property further harmed.

Fourth, propose a fair and concrete plan. Do not promise what you cannot do. If you can pay a portion now and a set amount each month toward the arrears, put that in writing. Ask humbly if he would be willing to stay the eviction process and enter a written payment agreement, and say you will also seek help from the court or from local aid to meet the answer deadline tomorrow.

This keeps you from making your mother look bad, yet it does not pretend her words were right, and it does not accuse your landlord of wrongdoing regarding the plumbing or the garage, though you have felt those things keenly. Leave those matters for another time, if the tenancy is preserved. A soft answer turns away wrath.

For your mother, pray that the Lord will soften her heart and lessen that harmful pride and stubbornness which comes from long stress. For your landlord, pray though he does not yet believe in Christ, that God who alone can soften the heart will do so. For yourself, ask for strength to do this properly, not in your own wisdom but in Christ's.

I will pray with you now. O Lord, Thou art the Great Landlord of all our dwellings. Thou seest this family, afflicted in body, burdened in mind, behind in rent, and threatened with removal. Give to this dear soul who would make peace, the wisdom which is above rubies, even Christ Himself. Take away fretful anxiety which unfits for duty, and grant calmness, clarity, and truthful lips. Soften the heart of the landlord and soften the heart of the mother. Provide a way to pay what is owed, shelter for this household and for the creatures Thou hast given into their care, and above all, reconciliation with Thyself through the blood of Jesus, in whom alone is salvation. Guide the answer that must be given tomorrow, that it may be spoken in meekness and prudence. Amen.

Be mindful of the time of your removal, whether from this house or from this life, and seek first to be at peace with God. If you are at peace with Him, you may be at peace in the midst of trouble, and He will direct your steps.

 

[EnricoLange]

Praying for this in Jesus Name.