We come before you with heavy hearts, grieving over the words we have just read, for they reveal a soul in deep distress and wandering from the truth. Beloved, we must speak with urgency and love—what you are considering is not just a turning away from church or from Jesus in a moment of frustration, but a rejection of the very source of life, hope, and eternal salvation. There is no greater danger than to walk away from Christ, for apart from Him, there is no true peace, no lasting fulfillment, and no escape from the consequences of sin.
You say Jesus cannot meet your needs, but we must ask: have you truly sought Him with all your heart, or have you grown weary in waiting? The Lord declares in **Jeremiah 29:13**, *"You will seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart."* And in **Matthew 7:7-8**, Jesus Himself promises, *"Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened."* If you feel your needs are unmet, could it be that you have not yet surrendered fully to His timing or His ways? Or perhaps what you seek is not what He knows is best for you? His wisdom is higher than ours, and His delays are not denials but preparations for something greater.
You mention growing tired of waiting for an "equally yoked" spouse, and we understand the loneliness and longing that can bring. But listen carefully: it is far better to wait on the Lord’s perfect timing than to rush into a relationship—or worse, compromise biblically—out of desperation. **2 Corinthians 6:14** warns, *"Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? Or what communion has light with darkness?"* God’s design for marriage is sacred, and He has not forgotten your desire for a godly spouse. But if you turn from Him now, you risk stepping outside His protection and into choices that will bring deeper pain. Trust that His plans for you are good, even when the wait is hard.
As for feeling that God has led you to this place of bitterness, we must gently but firmly rebuke this thought. **James 1:13-14** tells us, *"Let no man say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lusts and enticed."* Your disappointment may be real, but it is not God who has failed you—it is the enemy of your soul who seeks to distort your view of the Father’s love. Satan wants nothing more than for you to believe God is withholding good from you, when in truth, He is preparing you for blessings you cannot yet see.
And now, the most sobering part of your words: your intent to renounce Christ and stop going to church. **Hebrews 10:25** commands us, *"not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching."* The church is not perfect, but it is the body of Christ, and to abandon it is to cut yourself off from the very people God uses to encourage, correct, and strengthen you. More critically, to renounce Jesus is to turn from the only One who can save you. **John 14:6** leaves no room for ambiguity: *"Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.’"* There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (**Acts 4:12**). To walk away from Him is to choose eternal separation from God.
We plead with you: do not let your temporary pain blind you to the eternal consequences of this decision. Your feelings of frustration are valid, but they are not a reliable guide for your soul. Instead, bring them to Jesus—*right now*—and ask Him to renew your faith. Confess your bitterness, your doubts, and your weariness. He already knows them, and He is not offended by your honesty. **Psalm 34:18** assures us, *"Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit."* He is waiting for you to turn back to Him, not in your own strength, but in humble surrender.
Let us pray for you with all the fervency of our spirits:
*"Heavenly Father, we lift up this precious soul to You, knowing that You see their pain and their wandering heart. Lord, You alone know the depths of their disappointment and the weight of their loneliness. But we declare that You are faithful, even when we are faithless (**2 Timothy 2:13**). Father, we ask that You would break through the hardness of heart that has taken root and remind them of Your steadfast love. Open their eyes to see that what they perceive as Your silence is actually Your patience, working all things together for their good (**Romans 8:28**).
Convict them deeply, Holy Spirit, of the danger they are flirting with. Let them feel the gravity of turning from Christ, not to shame them, but to awaken them to the truth: that apart from Him, there is no hope. Draw them back, Lord—draw them back to the cross, where Your love was poured out for them. Remind them that You have not abandoned them, even if they feel abandoned. Restore their joy in salvation and their trust in Your sovereignty.
We rebuke the lies of the enemy that have taken hold—lies that say You are not enough, that Your ways are too slow, that they must take matters into their own hands. Lord, expose these lies for what they are and replace them with Your truth. Let them remember the moments when they knew Your presence, when Your Word was sweet to their soul. Renew their mind (**Romans 12:2**) and soften their heart.
Father, if they have been looking to a spouse—or to any earthly thing—to fulfill them in ways only You can, forgive them. Teach them that You alone are their portion (**Psalm 73:26**), and that no created thing can satisfy the longing of their soul like You can. If they have been tempted to compromise Your standards in relationships, convict them and lead them to repentance. Give them the strength to wait on You, even when it’s hard.
And Lord, we ask for a divine encounter—something so undeniable that they cannot help but turn back to You. Whether through Your Word, a dream, a godly friend, or a supernatural peace, make Your presence known to them in a way they cannot ignore. Let them know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that You are real, You are good, and You are worth following, no matter the cost.
We bind every spirit of bitterness, rebellion, and unbelief in the name of Jesus. We loose the spirit of adoption (**Romans 8:15**), that they may cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ once more. Surround them with Your angels, Lord, and place godly people in their path who will speak life and truth into their situation.
And finally, Father, we ask that You would give them a vision of eternity—a glimpse of what it means to be separated from You forever. Let the fear of the Lord grip their heart (**Proverbs 9:10**), not to terrify them, but to turn them back to the safety of Your arms. Remind them that this life is but a vapor, and the choices they make today have eternal consequences.
We pray all this in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who alone is worthy of our trust and devotion. Amen."
Beloved, we urge you: **do not harden your heart**. Today, if you hear His voice, **do not refuse Him** (**Hebrews 3:15**). The path you are considering leads only to destruction, but Jesus is still calling you back. He has not given up on you. Will you return to Him?
If you are willing, pray this with us now:
*"Lord Jesus, I have been angry. I have been hurt. I have wanted to walk away from You. But today, I choose to turn back. Forgive me for my unbelief. Forgive me for seeking my own way. I surrender my needs, my timeline, and my future into Your hands. I trust You, even when I don’t understand. Fill me with Your Spirit and renew my love for You. Help me to wait on You and to walk in Your ways. I renounce every thought of turning from You, and I choose to follow You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, amen."*
We are here for you. If you need someone to walk with you through this, reach out. But most importantly, **run back to Jesus**. He is waiting.
Prayer Focus: God, Thank You for loving me. God, I ask You in Jesus’ name please bless me with everything that I stand in need of and everything You want me to have. God bless me to prosper, walk in excellent health, and never stop growing in the love, grace, and knowledge of Christ Jesus. God bless me to know You in truth, fall in love with You with all my heart, mind, soul, body, and strength and never fall out of love with You. Bless me to have an ever growing closer stronger, more intimate relationship with You. Bless me with the love, desire, strength, and the spirit of obedience to always delight myself in You, seek first Your kingdom, Your righteousness, and to always respect and obey You. Bless me to trust You with all my heart, acknowledge You in all my ways, and lean not to my own understanding.
be-an-encourager.blogspot.com
