We are deeply grieved to hear of the pain and strife you are enduring at the hands of your niece, as well as the serious health struggles your husband has faced. It is heartbreaking when family members, who should be a source of love and support, instead become instruments of division and falsehood. The betrayal and slander you describe are not only emotionally exhausting but also contrary to the love and unity that Christ calls His followers to uphold. Let us turn to Scripture to find wisdom and solace in this difficult situation.
The Bible warns us about the destructive power of the tongue and the importance of guarding our hearts against bitterness and deceit. Proverbs 16:28 says, *"A perverse man stirs up strife. A whisperer separates close friends."* Your niece’s actions are stirring up strife and attempting to separate relationships that should be built on trust and love. This is not of God, and it is not something you are obligated to endure without boundaries. Additionally, Proverbs 22:10 reminds us, *"Drive out the mocker, and strife will go out; yes, quarrels and insults will stop."* While we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44), we are also permitted—and sometimes necessary—to create distance from those who bring harm to our lives, especially when that harm is persistent and unrepentant.
You have shown incredible patience and grace in attempting to maintain a relationship with your niece over the years, even apologizing when you reached your breaking point. However, it is clear that her heart is hardened, and her actions are not only unrepentant but deliberately malicious. The back-and-forth behavior you describe—rejecting you one moment and then expecting normalcy the next—is emotionally manipulative and unhealthy. It is not wrong for you to distance yourself from her for your own well-being. In fact, setting boundaries is an act of wisdom and self-care, especially when dealing with someone who shows no regard for the truth or for the harm they cause.
The apostle Paul instructs us in Romans 12:18, *"If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men."* You have done your part to seek peace, but peace requires two willing parties. Your niece has demonstrated that she is not interested in peace but in destruction. In such cases, we are not called to be doormats for others to walk upon. Instead, we can follow the example of Jesus, who withdrew from those who sought to harm Him (Luke 4:28-30) and who taught His disciples to *"be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves"* (Matthew 10:16).
As for the lies she is spreading—including the false claim that you are bipolar—we must remember that God is the ultimate judge of truth. Psalm 37:5-6 assures us, *"Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this: he will bring out your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."* You do not need to defend yourself against her slander; instead, entrust your reputation to the Lord, who sees all things and will vindicate you in His time. Meanwhile, continue to walk in integrity, knowing that your character is known to God, and that is what ultimately matters.
We also want to lift up your husband’s health in prayer. The trials he has faced—heart attacks, coding, and a stroke—are severe, and we thank God for sparing his life and granting him recovery thus far. It is a testament to God’s mercy and grace. We pray that the Lord will continue to strengthen him physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and that He will bind your marriage together in unity and love, protecting it from the schemes of the enemy who seeks to divide.
Now, let us pray together for you, your husband, and even your niece, that God would intervene in this situation and bring about His will.
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**Heavenly Father,**
We come before You today with heavy hearts, lifting up our sister who is enduring such painful betrayal and slander from her niece. Lord, You see the wounds inflicted by her words and the exhaustion she feels from years of trying to extend grace, only to be met with more hostility. We ask You to be her comfort and her shield, to surround her with Your peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Guard her heart, Lord, from bitterness, and fill her with Your love, which casts out all fear (1 John 4:18).
Father, we pray for her niece, who is clearly trapped in a cycle of anger and deceit. Soften her heart, Lord, and convict her of the harm she is causing. Break the spirit of strife and division that is operating through her, and replace it with a spirit of repentance and humility. Lord, only You can change a heart, and we ask that You would do a mighty work in her life, drawing her to Yourself so that she may turn from her wicked ways. Remind her that *"no lie is of the truth"* (1 John 2:21) and that *"the Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful"* (Proverbs 12:22).
We also lift up our sister’s husband, who has faced such serious health battles. Lord, we thank You for sparing his life and for the recovery You have granted him thus far. We ask that You would continue to strengthen his body, restore his health, and fill him with Your peace. Protect their marriage, Lord, from the lies and division the enemy seeks to sow. Let their bond be a testimony of Your faithfulness and love, unshaken by the schemes of man.
Father, we ask for wisdom for our sister as she navigates this relationship. Give her discernment to know how to set healthy boundaries, and grant her the courage to follow through, even if it means creating distance. Remind her that she is not responsible for her niece’s choices or her salvation—that burden is Yours alone. Help her to release this situation into Your hands, trusting that You will vindicate her and bring justice in Your perfect timing.
Finally, Lord, we pray for unity and healing within this family. Where there is strife, bring peace. Where there are lies, bring truth. Where there is hatred, bring love. May Your will be done in this situation, and may Your name be glorified through it all. We ask these things in the mighty and precious name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who alone has the power to redeem and restore.
**Amen.**
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We want to encourage you to stand firm in the truth, knowing that God sees your pain and your efforts to do what is right. It is not wrong to distance yourself from someone who continually brings harm into your life, especially when you have sought reconciliation and been met with more hostility. The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 about the difficult times that will come, where people will be *"lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power."* While this is a sobering description, it reminds us that we are not to be surprised by such behavior, nor are we to enable it. Instead, we are to *"turn away"* from those who exhibit these traits (2 Timothy 3:5).
Continue to pray for your niece, but do not feel guilty for protecting your heart and your home. You are not responsible for fixing her, nor are you required to subject yourself to her abuse. Trust that God is working even in this, and that He will use it for your good and His glory (Romans 8:28). Lean on your husband and on trusted believers in your life for support, and do not carry this burden alone. The body of Christ is meant to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), so allow others to come alongside you in prayer and encouragement.
Lastly, we want to remind you of the power of forgiveness—not for your niece’s sake, but for yours. Forgiveness does not mean allowing someone to continue hurting you; it means releasing the offense to God and refusing to let bitterness take root in your heart. Jesus said in Matthew 6:14-15, *"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."* This is a serious call to forgive, but it is also a promise of freedom. Forgiveness does not excuse her behavior, but it frees you from the weight of carrying the offense.
May the Lord grant you peace, strength, and wisdom as you navigate this season. You are not alone, and He will never leave you nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2), and trust that He is working all things together for your good.
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. 
