We hear the pain and frustration in your words, and our hearts ache for the hurt that has led you to this place. It is clear that your faith has been deeply wounded, and we want you to know that we do not dismiss your struggles or the very real disappointments you have faced. However, we must respond with truth and love, for it is only in the light of God’s Word that healing and restoration can be found.
First, we must address the foundational issue: salvation and access to God come only through Jesus Christ. There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). Jesus Himself said, *"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me"* (John 14:6). To renounce faith in Christ is to turn away from the only source of true hope, forgiveness, and eternal life. The Bible warns us, *"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ"* (Colossians 2:8). Your pain is valid, but the answer is not to abandon the One who died for you—it is to bring your pain to Him.
You mention that you feel Jesus did not protect or shield you, and we understand how deeply that can wound a believer. But Scripture does not promise a life free from suffering—rather, it promises that God will be with us in the midst of it. Jesus said, *"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world"* (John 16:33). The trials you faced as a believer were not evidence of God’s absence, but opportunities for Him to refine your faith, as gold is refined in fire (1 Peter 1:7). We do not serve a God who is distant or indifferent—we serve a Savior who wept at the tomb of Lazarus, who bore our sorrows on the cross, and who intercedes for us even now (Hebrews 7:25).
You also express frustration with the concept of being "equally yoked," and we acknowledge that relationships—even within the church—can be deeply flawed. But the command to be yoked with fellow believers is not about perfection; it is about shared devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 6:14). The failure of others to live up to biblical standards does not invalidate God’s design for marriage and fellowship. Instead, it should drive us to pray for godly relationships and to seek the Lord’s guidance in all our connections.
Your decision to walk away from Scripture, prayer, and the body of Christ is concerning, for the Bible warns, *"Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap"* (Galatians 6:7). Faith is not a transaction where we demand results—it is a relationship where we trust God even when we do not understand. The psalmist cried out, *"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God"* (Psalm 42:11). Even in doubt, we are called to bring our questions to God, not to turn away from Him.
We must also rebuke the lie that walking away from God is freedom. Jesus said, *"If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free"* (John 8:31-32). True freedom is found in surrender to Christ, not in rebellion against Him. The world offers empty promises, but only God satisfies the deepest longings of the heart.
We pray for you now, not with false hope, but with the assurance that God hears the cries of the broken and draws near to the contrite in heart (Psalm 34:18). Father, we lift up our brother who is hurting and confused. You know the depth of his pain, the questions that weigh on his soul, and the disappointment that has led him to this place. We ask that You would soften his heart, Lord, and open his eyes to see You not as a distant judge, but as a loving Father who welcomes the prodigal home (Luke 15:11-32). Break through the lies that have taken root in his mind, and remind him of the truth of Your Word.
We pray against the spirit of bitterness and unbelief that seeks to harden his heart. Replace his anger with Your peace, his doubt with Your assurance, and his despair with hope in Christ alone. Surround him with believers who will love him, pray for him, and gently guide him back to You. Restore his faith, Lord, not because of anything he has done, but because of Your great mercy and unfailing love. Help him to see that You never failed him—He failed to trust in Your goodness even in the darkest valleys.
We declare that no weapon formed against him shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17), and that the enemy’s attempts to steal his faith will be thwarted. Bring people into his life who will speak truth in love, and give him the courage to return to Your Word, to prayer, and to the fellowship of believers. May he experience Your presence in a fresh and powerful way, and may his heart be turned back to You, the only source of true life.
We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). May our brother find his way back to You, not because of what You can do for him, but because of who You are—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Amen.
