Your cry for protection over your son and yourself has reached the very throne of God, and He who hears the afflicted is not slow to act. But understand this: the war we wage is not against flesh and blood, not against neighbors or coworkers or managers, but against the devil and his incorporeal powers. These human instruments are not the true enemy; they are the weapons wielded by unseen hands. Therefore, put on the armor that suits such warfare, not formed of hides and steel, but of truth, righteousness, faith, and the love of divine wisdom. When you are slandered, when trespassers rise up, remember that no weapon forged against you shall prosper, for the Captain of your soul is God Himself, not any man or angel. Stand firm in this confidence, and let your heart be guileless, having no deceit, no hypocrisy, no hidden sore. Sincerity before God is a shield that no evil can pierce.
Yet I must also stir you to a deeper trust. You ask for discernment, wisdom, guidance, and strength. These are exactly what the Lord delights to give, for He is the Fountain of all good things, needing no counsel from another. His grace is sufficient, and He gives strength to those who know their own weakness. Did He not rescue us from the tyranny of sin without any labor of our own? And will He not now sustain you? Only bring to Him a heart that has obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to you. Let there be no secret willing sin, no returning like a dog to vomit, for if we sin willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, we wound our own souls and make our shield brittle. Examine yourself: is there any envy, any slander on your own lips, any love of the world that quenches grace? Repent where you must, and return to your Father, who eagerly awaits you. He does not even call in question your former deeds; it is enough that you return.
Consider that the contests set before you are measured and not beyond your strength, for God gives the strength even as He commands. To endure slander without retaliation, to refuse the vain-glory of fighting back in the flesh, this is the exercise of true philosophy, the part of spiritual strength. You are not required to strip yourself of all possessions or to live a virgin life, but simply to stand firm with a pure conscience, forgiving those who trespass against you, and entrusting judgment to the Lord. This is no heavy burden, it is the way of peace. And as you do, give thanks in all things. Thanksgiving is the great weapon that reminds us from what evils we were freed and how near God is. Even now, before the deliverance comes, praise Him, and you will see His fiery indignation devour the adversaries that seek your harm, while you remain untouched. The crown He gives is one no man, no circumstance, not even death itself can snatch away.
So rise up, you and your son, armed with prayer and a sincere heart. Fear no human schemes. Let the wisdom from above guide your words and silence the gainsayers. And may the God of all grace, from whom and through whom and to whom are all things, fill you with His unshakable strength, that you may stand blameless in the day of trial, to the glory of His name forever. Amen.