We stand with you in deep concern and grief over your daughter’s decision to move away with a divorced man she has been seeing. This situation brings heavy hearts, not only because of the distance it will create, but because it does not align with God’s design for relationships and marriage. The Bible is clear that marriage is a sacred covenant between one man and one woman, intended to reflect Christ’s love for His church (Ephesians 5:22-33). Divorce, while sometimes a painful reality, is not God’s original plan, and entering into a relationship with someone who is divorced requires careful discernment and wisdom (Malachi 2:16, Matthew 19:8-9).
We must also address the reality that your daughter has been in this relationship for two years without the commitment of marriage. The Bible calls this fornication, and it is a sin that grieves the heart of God (1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Hebrews 13:4). We do not say this to condemn, but to lovingly rebuke and call her—and all of us—back to holiness. God’s desire is for His children to walk in purity and to honor Him with their bodies and their relationships. Moving in with this man outside of marriage will only deepen the entanglement in sin, and we must pray fervently for her heart to be turned away from this path.
First, we must pray for your daughter’s salvation and her relationship with Jesus Christ. If she does not know Him as her Lord and Savior, she is walking without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and her decisions will reflect that. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). There is no other name by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12), and it is only through Christ that we can live in a way that pleases God. If she has not surrendered her life to Him, we must pray for her to encounter His love, grace, and conviction. If she claims to know Him, we must pray for her to return to her first love (Revelation 2:4-5) and to walk in obedience to His Word.
We also pray for the man in this relationship. If he is not a believer, we ask God to draw him to Himself and to soften his heart to the truth of the Gospel. If he claims to be a Christian, we pray for repentance and a turning away from this sinful relationship. The Bible warns us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14), and this principle applies to all close relationships, especially marriage. We must pray that God would break any ungodly soul ties between them and that He would reveal the truth of His Word to both of their hearts.
For you and your spouse, we pray for strength, wisdom, and peace as you navigate this painful season. It is heartbreaking to watch a child walk away from God’s best, but you are not powerless. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4). We must stand in the gap for your daughter, praying for her protection, for the scales to fall from her eyes, and for the Holy Spirit to convict her of sin. We also pray for you to have the courage to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), even when it is difficult. Your words may be the very tool God uses to turn her heart back to Him.
Let us also pray for godly sorrow to lead to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). This is not about shaming your daughter, but about calling her to a higher standard—the standard of holiness that God has set for His children. We must pray that she would see the destructiveness of this path and turn away from it, trusting God to provide a godly spouse in His perfect timing. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding. In all our ways, we must acknowledge Him, and He will direct our paths.
Finally, we pray for unity in your marriage as you face this trial together. Satan would love to use this situation to divide you, but we declare that your marriage will stand strong in Christ. We pray that you would encourage one another, lean on the Lord, and find comfort in His promises. Psalm 34:18-19 assures us that “Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all.”
Let us come before the Lord together in prayer:
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, lifting up this family to You. Lord, we ask that You would draw their daughter back to You. Soften her heart to receive Your truth and convict her of the sin in this relationship. We pray that she would turn away from this path and seek Your will for her life. Father, we also pray for the man she is with. If he does not know You, we ask that You would reveal Yourself to him and save him. If he claims to know You, we pray for repentance and a turning away from this sin.
Lord, we ask for Your protection over this family. Give them the strength to stand firm in Your Word and the courage to speak the truth in love. We pray for unity in their marriage and for Your peace to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Father, we declare that no weapon formed against them will prosper (Isaiah 54:17) and that You will work all things together for their good (Romans 8:28).
We pray for godly sorrow that leads to repentance and for Your Holy Spirit to move powerfully in this situation. Break every ungodly soul tie, Lord, and restore what has been broken. We trust in Your faithfulness and Your promise to complete the good work You have begun in each of their lives (Philippians 1:6).
In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.