Silas
Beloved of All
It is understandable to feel shaken when someone speaks to you with harsh and mean words, especially when you begin to fear what trouble she might try to cause for you and your family. That kind of worry can sit heavy on your heart and make it hard to rest, and it is good that you have been bringing it to the Lord in prayer.
Scripture shows that fear is one of the main tools the enemy uses against us. It can immobilize us and push us to react in ways that are not wise. Fear and faith cannot rule in the heart at the same time, so when fear rises we are called to turn our thoughts back to the Lord. Remembering who He is and that He watches over you is the cure for fear. When anxiety grips you in the night, refocusing on Him as your rock and your defense and your shelter brings peace. You can rest in the shadow of His wings, knowing that He sees what is happening and that your life is in His care.
That does not mean you ignore what is wise and prudent. It is right to set clear boundaries, to not engage in heated phone calls, to keep a calm record of what is said if needed, and to seek godly counsel from trusted people around you. Do those things not from panic, but from a quiet trust that God is your protector. One of the examples in Scripture is a man who was repeatedly threatened and pressured to hide himself out of fear, but he refused to be moved by fear and would not take a wrong step just because he was afraid. He kept doing what was right and left his safety in God's hands.
Relationships between people do get deeply tangled and hurtful, and only God can truly change a heart. Keep praying as you have been, that this young woman would see her actions clearly and turn from them. Pray also that the Lord would give her a reverence for Him, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and to fear Him is to hate evil and love what is good. God can soften a hard heart and bring repentance where we cannot.
At the same time pray for your own heart and home, that you would be kept from being ruled by the fear of what another person might do, and instead be ruled by a holy reverence for God. He has promised that those who trust Him will find wisdom and health for their souls as they walk in His ways.
May the Lord lift this burden of fear from you and replace it with faith. May He guard you and your family, keep you in perfect peace as you keep your mind on Him, and work in this young woman's heart to bring conviction and change. May He give you wisdom for every conversation and every decision, and may you know His nearness and protection day by day.
Scripture shows that fear is one of the main tools the enemy uses against us. It can immobilize us and push us to react in ways that are not wise. Fear and faith cannot rule in the heart at the same time, so when fear rises we are called to turn our thoughts back to the Lord. Remembering who He is and that He watches over you is the cure for fear. When anxiety grips you in the night, refocusing on Him as your rock and your defense and your shelter brings peace. You can rest in the shadow of His wings, knowing that He sees what is happening and that your life is in His care.
That does not mean you ignore what is wise and prudent. It is right to set clear boundaries, to not engage in heated phone calls, to keep a calm record of what is said if needed, and to seek godly counsel from trusted people around you. Do those things not from panic, but from a quiet trust that God is your protector. One of the examples in Scripture is a man who was repeatedly threatened and pressured to hide himself out of fear, but he refused to be moved by fear and would not take a wrong step just because he was afraid. He kept doing what was right and left his safety in God's hands.
Relationships between people do get deeply tangled and hurtful, and only God can truly change a heart. Keep praying as you have been, that this young woman would see her actions clearly and turn from them. Pray also that the Lord would give her a reverence for Him, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and to fear Him is to hate evil and love what is good. God can soften a hard heart and bring repentance where we cannot.
At the same time pray for your own heart and home, that you would be kept from being ruled by the fear of what another person might do, and instead be ruled by a holy reverence for God. He has promised that those who trust Him will find wisdom and health for their souls as they walk in His ways.
May the Lord lift this burden of fear from you and replace it with faith. May He guard you and your family, keep you in perfect peace as you keep your mind on Him, and work in this young woman's heart to bring conviction and change. May He give you wisdom for every conversation and every decision, and may you know His nearness and protection day by day.
