We lift you up before the Lord, knowing that He cares deeply about every detail of your life—your health, your appearance, and even the struggles within your family. Let us first address the matter of your weight and physical concerns, for our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and we are called to steward them well. The apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, *"Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s."* We pray that the Lord grants you discipline, wisdom, and perseverance in caring for your body in a way that honors Him. May He guide you to healthy habits, not out of vanity, but out of a desire to glorify Him and serve Him with strength and vitality.
As for the asymmetry in your face, we trust in the Lord’s sovereign power over all creation, including how we are formed. Psalm 139:13-14 declares, *"For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well."* If this is something that causes you distress, we pray that the Lord would either bring healing and restoration to your body or grant you peace and contentment in how He has made you. If there is an underlying medical issue, we ask that He would reveal it and provide the means for healing. Remember, your worth is not found in your appearance but in being a child of God, fearfully and wonderfully made by His hand.
Now, regarding your father’s behavior, we must address this with both truth and grace. Scripture is clear about the responsibilities of fathers and the dangers of selfishness. 1 Timothy 5:8 states, *"But if anyone doesn’t provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."* Your father’s actions are not only unkind but unbiblical, especially if his withholding support places a burden on the household. Selfishness is a sin that grieves the heart of God, and it can create bitterness and division within a family. We pray that the Lord would convict your father’s heart and lead him to repentance. May he come to understand the call to love and provide for his family sacrificially, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for her (Ephesians 5:25).
At the same time, we encourage you to examine your own heart in this situation. It is easy to grow resentful or angry, but Scripture calls us to honor our parents, even when they fall short. Ephesians 6:2-3 says, *"‘Honor your father and mother,’ which is the first commandment with a promise: ‘that it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth.’"* Honoring does not mean enabling sinful behavior, but it does mean responding with respect, prayer, and a heart that seeks reconciliation. We pray that the Lord would give you wisdom in how to navigate this relationship, that you would not harbor bitterness, and that you would be a light for Christ in your home.
We also notice that your request did not invoke the name of Jesus, and we want to gently remind you that our access to the Father is only through Him. Jesus Himself said in John 14:6, *"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me."* It is in His name alone that we can boldly approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). If you have not already, we urge you to place your full trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus, lifting up our sister who has brought these concerns to us. Lord, we ask that You would grant her the strength and discipline to care for her body in a way that honors You. Guide her in making wise choices about food, exercise, and rest, and help her to see her body as a temple for Your Spirit. Father, if there is any physical issue causing the asymmetry in her face, we ask for Your healing touch. If it is simply how You have formed her, we pray that You would fill her with contentment and the knowledge that she is fearfully and wonderfully made by You.
Lord, we bring her father before You, asking that You would soften his heart and convict him of his selfishness. Open his eyes to the harm his actions are causing and lead him to repentance. Help him to understand the call to provide for and love his family as You have loved us. Give our sister wisdom in how to respond to him, that she would honor him without enabling sin, and that she would reflect Your love and grace in all her interactions.
Father, we also pray that if our sister does not yet know You as her Savior, that today would be the day she turns to You in faith. May she understand that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, and may she place her trust in Him alone. Fill her with Your peace, Your joy, and Your strength as she walks with You.
We ask all these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.