We hear the pain and frustration in your words, and our hearts ache for the brokenness you are experiencing. It is clear you feel deeply hurt, even betrayed, by what you perceive as unmet expectations from the Lord. But we must lovingly yet firmly address the dangerous path your words reveal—one that strays far from the truth of Scripture and the heart of God.
First, we must rebuke the pride and rebellion in your statement. You say you will discard the Bible, stop going to church, and cease praying until God "repents" and does what *you* demand. This is not how we relate to the Almighty. God does not answer to us; we answer to Him. He is the Potter, and we are the clay (Isaiah 64:8). He is the Creator, and we are the created. To demand that God conform to *your* will is to invert the order of creation and reject His sovereignty. The Bible warns, *"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’"* (Isaiah 45:9). God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). He does not owe us an explanation for His will, nor does He operate on our timetable.
You accuse Jesus of lying and failing to provide, but Scripture tells us, *"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows"* (James 1:17). God’s provision is not always in the form or timing we expect, but He is faithful. To say He has failed you is to call into question His very nature—His goodness, His love, and His power. The Bible declares, *"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"* (Numbers 23:19). If you feel He has not provided, it may be that your expectations do not align with His perfect will for you. Have you considered that His "no" or "not yet" is an act of love, protecting you from what you cannot yet see?
You also claim that Christ "forced" you into this decision, but this is not the Jesus of the Bible. Jesus stands at the door and knocks (Revelation 3:20), but He does not force Himself in. He invites; He does not coerce. The decision to walk away is yours alone, and it is a grievous one. The Bible warns, *"See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many"* (Hebrews 12:15). Bitterness and anger toward God will only lead to further heartache and separation from Him. Instead of distancing yourself, we urge you to draw near. *"Come near to God and he will come near to you"* (James 4:8). He is waiting for you with open arms, even now.
You say you will not return unless God "proves His love" by answering your prayer. But God has already proven His love in the most profound way possible: *"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"* (Romans 5:8). The cross is the ultimate proof of His love—nothing more is needed. To demand further proof is to reject the greatest gift ever given. Jesus did not die for you because you deserved it; He died for you *while you were still a sinner*. That is unconditional love. Your condition—that He must meet your demands before you will return—is the opposite of the gospel. The gospel calls us to repentance, humility, and surrender, not ultimatums.
We must also address the spiritual danger in your words. To walk away from the Bible, the church, and prayer is to walk away from the very means God has given us to know Him, grow in Him, and be protected from the enemy. The Bible warns, *"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life"* (Galatians 6:7-8). Your words sow seeds of rebellion, and if left unchecked, they will lead to spiritual destruction. The enemy would love nothing more than to see you turn your back on God, for he knows that *"your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour"* (1 Peter 5:8). Do not give him that foothold.
We also want to gently but firmly correct your understanding of prayer. Prayer is not a transaction where we give God our demands and He fulfills them like a vending machine. Prayer is communion with our Heavenly Father—a conversation where we align our hearts with His will, not the other way around. Jesus taught us to pray, *"Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven"* (Matthew 6:10). When we pray, we are to seek God’s will above our own desires. This does not mean He does not care about our needs or desires; it means He knows what is best for us far better than we do. Sometimes His answer is "yes," sometimes "no," and sometimes "wait." But His answers are always rooted in love and wisdom.
We must also address the issue of salvation. You mention Jesus, but your words reveal a heart that is not submitted to Him as Lord. Salvation is not just about believing in Jesus; it is about surrendering to Him. *"If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved"* (Romans 10:9). To call Jesus "Lord" means He is the Master of your life, not just a genie who grants wishes. If you are treating Him as anything less, then you are not walking in the fullness of the salvation He offers. We urge you to examine your heart and ask yourself: Is Jesus truly Lord of my life, or am I trying to make Him serve my will?
Now, let us pray for you, for we believe that even in your anger and pain, God is still at work. He is the Great Physician, and He can heal even the deepest wounds of the heart.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up our brother who is hurting and angry. Lord, we know that You see his pain, and we ask that You would meet him in the midst of it. Father, we confess that we do not understand all of Your ways, but we trust in Your goodness, Your love, and Your sovereignty. We pray that You would soften his heart and open his eyes to see the truth of who You are. Lord, we rebuke the spirit of rebellion and pride that has taken root in his words. We ask that You would uproot it and replace it with humility, surrender, and trust in You.
Father, we pray that You would remind him of Your unfailing love, demonstrated on the cross. Help him to see that Your love is not dependent on Your answers to his prayers but on Your nature as a loving and faithful God. Lord, we ask that You would draw him back to Yourself. Do not let him walk away from the truth of Your Word, the fellowship of Your people, or the privilege of prayer. Surround him with believers who can speak truth into his life and love him unconditionally.
We pray that You would reveal to him the areas where his expectations do not align with Your will. Give him the grace to surrender his desires to You and to trust that Your plans for him are good. Lord, we ask that You would heal the wounds that have led to this anger and bitterness. Replace his pain with peace, his doubt with faith, and his rebellion with surrender.
Father, we also pray for protection over his soul. Do not let the enemy gain a foothold in his life. Guard his heart and mind with the peace of Christ, and let him know that You are with him, even now. We pray that he would turn back to You, not because You have met his demands, but because he has encountered Your love anew.
Lord, we ask all of this in the mighty name of Jesus, the name above all names, the name by which we are saved and through which we have access to You. May Your will be done in his life, and may he come to know You more deeply as a result of this trial. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
To our brother, we say this: God has not abandoned you. He is pursuing you, even now. The fact that you are wrestling with Him is not a sign of His absence but of His presence in your life. Jacob wrestled with God, and though he walked away with a limp, he also walked away with a blessing (Genesis 32:22-32). Do not let your anger and pain cause you to miss the blessing God has for you. Return to Him. Lay down your demands and pick up the cross. Surrender your will to His, and you will find the peace and fulfillment you are seeking.
The church is not perfect—it is full of broken people like you and me—but it is the body of Christ, and we need one another. Do not isolate yourself. Find a community of believers who can walk with you, pray for you, and remind you of the truth when you are struggling. And do not neglect the Bible. It is not just a book; it is the living Word of God, able to speak life into your situation. *"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart"* (Hebrews 4:12). Let it judge your heart, convict you, and draw you back to God.
Finally, remember this: God’s love for you is not dependent on your performance or your obedience. It is dependent on His character. He loved you before you were born, and He will love you for all eternity. You cannot earn it, and you cannot lose it. But you *can* reject it. Do not let your pride and pain cause you to turn away from the greatest love you will ever know. Return to Him. He is waiting.
