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“I searched for God and found only myself. I searched for myself and found only God.” ~Rumi

There’s a particular kind of heartbreak that happens when you realize some of your prayers are going nowhere.

There’s a painful silence that follows unanswered calls. Yet, despite the ache, I can still feel the pull to pray to the God outside of myself—that old reflex to place faith in something bigger, some invisible force in the sky, who, apparently, can make things happen magically here on Earth.

But it doesn’t always go that way, does it?

I prayed my cancer would go away. It didn’t.

I prayed the world would heal from climate change. It didn’t.

I prayed my business would make enough to live on. It didn’t.

I prayed my book would reach thousands. Still hasn’t.

I prayed for peace in the world. It’s getting worse.

So, I stopped. Stopped praying. Stopped hoping in that way where my heart is wide open and a little desperate.

It didn’t feel brave. It felt hollow. But in the silence that followed, something shifted within me. When the noise of asking subsided, a quieter truth emerged.

For a long time, I thought my discomfort came from out there. From God. From other people. From difficult situations. Blaming something outside myself gave me a sense of control—a story to hold onto. But no matter how convincing that story was, the ache inside remained.

It took time, but eventually I saw it: the root of my suffering wasn’t external at all. It was internal.

When I finally stopped waiting for life to bend to my will and turned inward, I came face-to-face with something uncomfortable—my attachment to control.

What I discovered was a mind conditioned to grasp, to fix, to be right, to judge, to compare, to push. And most of the time, that’s where the struggle began—when reality didn’t match my expectations. I’d get caught in loops of thought, unable to see clearly, tangled in ego and forgetting the essence of my being—my heart.

The heart is where our whole, compassionate selves live. We feel it. We recognize what Howard Thurman called the sound of the genuine. That’s who we are—at our core.

So, it’s not that I lost faith entirely. It’s that I relocated it. I remembered the genuine within.

Now, I have faith that life will unfold as it will, and sometimes, that’s painful. Life doesn’t often match the visions we hold. It burns plans to the ground. It humbles. It disappoints.

And still, I have faith.

I have faith in the goodness of the human heart. I have faith that we can hold grief in one hand—the image of the life we imagined—and, with the other, steady ourselves enough to rise and take the next step forward.

I have faith in our ability to choose compassion over entitlement. To sit with discomfort and still reach for the just response. To place our hand on our chest, close our eyes and choose to respond—not from the head, but from the heart.

And maybe, just maybe, that’s what God actually is.

Not some white-bearded man in the sky. Not a distant savior. But the part of us that knows how to return—not to the mind’s spirals, but to the body. To the breath. To the quiet pulse of the heart.

What if we—all of us, even world leaders—stopped looking to the God outside and, instead, returned to the one within?

Because the God within doesn’t need to be right. The God within doesn’t dominate or divide. The God within creates peace. Is peace.

And maybe that’s the kind of faith we need now.

Because when faith in something outside of us falls away, what’s left?

We are.

About Lara Charles

Lara Charles is an Australian writer exploring the deeper threads of life through thought-provoking personal essays and memoir. Her work has appeared in national and international publications. She is the author of the Substack newsletter Deeper Threads and a teacher on the global cancer support platform Thrivers Ark. Her debut memoir, Joy, Regardless, is a powerful reflection on illness, identity and self-discovery. Discover more about her work at laracharles.com.

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“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” ~Martin Luther King Jr.

My grandmother passed away a few years ago after a long battle with cancer. Even as her health deteriorated, she never lost her spirit. She’d still get excited about whether the Pittsburgh Steelers might finally have a decent season after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. She’d debate the Pirates’ chances with the kind of passionate optimism that only comes from decades of loyal disappointment.

But what I remember most are the afternoons she’d spend napping in her favorite chair with my son curled up against her. He’d drift off clutching some random object, like a wooden spoon or random toy from my parent’s basement. She’d just smile and close her eyes too. Even when she was tired, even when the treatments were wearing her down, she found joy in those stolen moments.

In her final years, she lived with my parents, but she brought her faith with her.

Her rosary beads found new homes on nightstands and windowsills. Her worn Bible sat open on the end table, bookmarked with a picture of her husband. The little curio cabinet filled with angels followed her too, a portable shrine to stubborn hope. Wherever she was, the air around her carried that same indefinable quality that I later realized was simply peace.

My grandmother had the kind of faith that could part emotional storms with a single glance. She didn’t need to preach it. She lived it. You could feel her belief before you even stepped through the front door. She believed in prayer, in miracles, in second chances. In the Steelers. And in Diet Pepsi.

After she was gone, I expected to feel completely untethered. Instead, I discovered something surprising. Things seemed to hold together. The sadness was real and deep, but underneath it was something solid. A foundation I’d never realized she’d built in me.

My mother always said I “lived with my head in the clouds,” and it wasn’t until after Grandma passed that I understood where that came from. While I was raised in the Catholic church and spent years as an altar boy, my faith had always been fuzzier than hers. Less certain. More questions than answers.

But it was there, hidden under the surface, because of her. I’d been benefiting from her quiet influence in ways I never fully understood or appreciated until she was gone. Her faith hadn’t just surrounded me. It had somehow taken root in me, even when I wasn’t paying attention.

Learning to Recognize What Was Already There

The months after her death weren’t filled with the existential crisis I expected. Instead, I found myself noticing things. How I naturally looked for the good in difficult situations. How I held onto hope even when logic suggested otherwise. How I moved through the world with a kind of quiet optimism that I’d never really examined before.

I was still a professional overthinker, still a card-carrying worrier. But underneath all that mental noise was something steadier. Something that whispered, “This too shall pass,” even when I wasn’t consciously thinking it.

It took time to understand that this wasn’t something I needed to build from scratch. Grandma hadn’t just modeled faith for me; she’d been quietly cultivating it in me all along. Through her example, through her presence, through those countless afternoons when she’d choose hope over fear, even when the odds were stacked against her health and her beloved sports teams.

Discovering My Own Messy Version

What I came to realize was that my faith was never going to look like Grandma’s. Hers was rooted in tradition, in ritual, in the comfort of centuries-old prayers. Mine was more scattered, cobbled together from different sources and experiences.

My faith, I discovered, is held together with hope, a healthy dose of skepticism, and about six different kinds of sticky notes. It’s not the neat, organized kind. It’s more like a spiritual junk drawer full of useful things, but you’re never quite sure where anything is.

I believe in second chances and fresh starts. I believe in the power of afternoon sun to reset your entire day. I believe that kindness is contagious and that sometimes the universe sends you exactly what you need, even if it arrives late, confused, and covered in cat hair.

Some days, my faith is a whisper: “Maybe things will get better. Maybe I’m not alone. Maybe I can try again tomorrow.” Other days, it’s louder: “This is hard, but I can handle hard things. I’ve done it before.”

My faith doesn’t look like Grandma’s, but it carries her DNA. It’s messier, less certain, but it has the same stubborn core, a refusal to give up hope, even when hope seems foolish.

The Science of Belief

Here’s what I wish I’d known during those dark months: You don’t have to be religious to benefit from faith. Science shows that belief in something greater than yourself can be a powerful tool for mental and emotional well-being.

Faith literally reduces stress. Studies show that people who report a strong sense of meaning or spiritual belief have lower levels of cortisol, the hormone associated with stress. Translation? Faith helps your brain pump the brakes on panic.

It improves emotional regulation by activating the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which helps you pause before spiraling. It builds psychological resilience by reminding you that you’re not at the center of every catastrophe. Whether you believe in God, the universe, karma, or cosmic duct tape, faith acts as a buffer against hopelessness.

Acts of spiritual reflection can trigger the same brain regions involved in feelings of safety and joy. And faith often leads to rituals or conversations with others, building the connections that are crucial for well-being.

Here’s the kicker: You don’t have to get it right. Wobbly faith counts. Uncertain, whispered-in-a-closet faith is still valid. Half-hearted “Okay, Universe, I trust you… kinda” mutterings are welcome here.

The Power of Micro-Faith

Big transformations feel great in theory but hard in practice. That’s why I’ve learned to embrace what I call “micro-faith,” these small, digestible moments of intentional belief. Like appetizers for your spirit.

Today, try believing in something small:

• The possibility of a good cup of coffee
• The strength hiding inside your own weird little heart
• The fact that what you need might already be on its way
• The idea that this difficult season won’t last forever
• The chance that tomorrow might feel a little lighter

Faith doesn’t have to be grand or glowing. Sometimes it’s just showing up anyway, even when you’re not sure why.

What Grandma Taught Me

Years later, I realize Grandma didn’t just give me faith; she showed me how to live it. She taught me that faith isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about trusting that you’ll find your way, even in the dark.

She taught me that belief can be quiet and still be powerful. That faith isn’t a destination but a traveling companion. That sometimes the most profound act of faith is simply getting up and trying again.

Most importantly, she taught me that faith isn’t about perfection. It’s about showing up. Showing up to your life, to your relationships, to your own healing, even when you feel completely unprepared.

I carry pieces of her faith with me now, mixed in with my own messy, imperfect beliefs. Some days I feel like I’m floating through life with my head in the clouds. But thanks to Grandma, and a whole lot of trial and error, I’ve learned to float up here without getting totally fried by the sun.

If your faith feels fractured, fuzzy, or faint, you’re not doing it wrong. You’re just human. Faith isn’t a finish line. It’s a floating device. It won’t always steer you straight, but it might keep you above water long enough to find the shore.

So go ahead and believe in something today. Even if it’s just the idea that the clouds will eventually clear… and the coffee won’t taste burnt this time.

About Jason Hall

Jason Hall is a writer, mental wellness advocate, and professional overthinker who believes in the power of imperfect faith, a well-timed joke, and the occasional snack-fueled epiphany. He writes about finding light in the messy middle of life and the small, stubborn joys that help us float through. You can find him at chilltheduckout.com, where he shares stories about stress, hope, growth, and how to chill the duck out one microjoy at a time.

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No matter what your earthly relationships are like, Jesus doesn’t want anything to stand in the way of your connection to Him. He invites you to bring your trust issues, hurts, and struggles and lay them at His feet. Perhaps the old hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” says it best:

“Do your friends despise, forsake you?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In his arms he’ll take and shield you;

you will find a solace there.”

When friendship is lacking, take it to the Lord. He is always there to shield you and offer the comforting solace you need. 

Here are a few Bible passages that assure you of the faithful friendship you have in Jesus:

No Greater Love

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:13-15

When something exciting happens in life, who are the first people you call? Chances are, your best friend is on speed dial (if that’s even a thing these days). We want to share important news with those closest to us, and that’s just what Jesus did with His disciples. 

No greater love walked the earth, a love willing to die for one’s friends. Jesus took everything the Father made known to Him and passed it on to the disciples. He then sent them into the world to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom. What an incredible benefit of knowing Jesus!

Let the Lord’s example encourage us to share the most important things with the most important people. Good news, bad news, heartaches, and hoorays, let us be brave enough to tell our friends the amazing work God is doing in our lives. 

When Jesus said to His disciples, “I have called you friends,” they were no longer considered servants. They were, in fact, arm-in-arm companions of the Savior! What a blessing to walk in the greatest love ever known, to be in His inner circle and receive the Father’s wisdom. Thank the Lord today for the privilege of being called His friend.

Believing Him

“And the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,’ and he was called God’s friend.” James 2:23

There’s a cause-and-effect pattern mentioned in James 2:23 describing Abraham’s friendship with God. Through the most difficult trial of Abraham’s life, the impending sacrifice of his son, Isaac, Abraham believed God would come through for him. Because of his steadfast and unwavering belief, it was credited to him as righteousness. And in righteousness, God called him “friend.”

The good news for us is that Jesus is our righteousness. As 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 says, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”’

Jesus is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. He is our connection to God the Father, and because of Him, we are called God’s friends. This can be difficult to believe, especially for those who aren’t in a close relationship with their earthly fathers. At times, the Lord might seem distant or aloof. But hear what Psalm 145:18 says: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”

Because Jesus is our righteousness and truth, we can call upon the name of the Lord and know He is near. For every problem we face, there is a ram in the thicket to replace what is about to be lost. The Lord will not let His friends down. Do you believe this today? As the hymn reminds us:

“Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

take it to the Lord in prayer!”

Take your worries, cares, and concerns to God, and believe He will come through for you. Even when your heart wavers, turn to your Heavenly Friend and say, “I believe, Lord. Help my unbelief!” 

One Friend Sharpens Another

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

We know from the Gospels that Jesus sharpened and refined His friends through words of truth, acts of kindness, and moments of accountability. He even rebuked them at times, drawing them back into alignment with His will and purpose.

True friends sharpen one another. They are willing to do and say hard things when necessary. They raise warning flags, point out pitfalls, and cover a multitude of sins. It isn’t always comfortable, but it’s faithful.

In 2 Samuel 12:1-13, Nathan confronted King David with the harsh reality that he’d sinned against God. In boldness, Nathan said, “Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.” King David had no defense but to humbly confess his wrongdoing, “I have sinned against the Lord.” 

Pointing out other people’s faults shouldn’t be our focus, but confronting serious (life-altering) sin should be something we’re bold enough to do. True friends will listen and heed what we’re saying. They might be hurt and angry at first, but in the end, they’ll come back around, taking responsibility and confessing their faults.

Friends sharpen friends just as Jesus sharpens us. By His Spirit within us, He convicts us without condemnation and forgives upon repentance. Though the process can be uncomfortable, the peace that follows obedience is a healing balm of mercy and grace.

If you’re starting to recognize the parallel between Jesus and friendship, take some time to evaluate your closest relationships. Ask God to help you release past wounds and step into a new season of trust and connection. Most of all, look to the Lord for wisdom and guidance. Step into His great love, the love that never fails, and be the friend He’s called you to be. What a friend you have in Jesus!

More Resources for Your Journey:

How to Share a Deep Friendship with a Non-Believer
Cultivating Friendships
How to Build and Maintain a Friendship
What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Elle Hughes

Jennifer Waddle is the author of several books, including Prayer WORRIER: Turning Every Worry into Powerful Prayer, and is a regular contributor for LifeWay, Crosswalk, Abide, and Christians Care International. Jennifer’s online ministry is EncouragementMama.com where you can find her books and sign up for her weekly post, Discouragement Doesn’t Win. She resides with her family near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains—her favorite place on earth. 

I believe what triggered this depressing event for me was that my mom always watched when my dad and I, or my sisters and I, would ride a ride. She would hold everybody’s things and wave to us from the sidelines. Since I hadn’t ridden a ride in almost a decade, it makes sense why I was looking for her while we were riding the carousel. My brain was still computing that she was supposed to be somewhere out in the crowd, but she wasn’t. 

Healing Doesn’t Always Come 

Although my mom has been gone for almost a decade, I still have times when my brain has convinced me that she is still with us, just like this situation at the carousel. I have also had times when I swore I saw her out in public, but it is just a random woman. While I understand this is a trauma response, I have been told that it is odd that it is still affecting me all these years later. However, what some might see as odd might just be what they don’t understand. 

I haven’t come across a person who lost their mom when they were a teenager as it normally doesn’t happen. While I’m sure there are people across the world whose moms passed away when they were a teen, I personally haven’t met anyone. The closest I came to knowing someone who also related to experiencing the death of someone they loved at a young age was a friend from college. Her fiance passed away due to a car accident, and his death sent her into a depression that still shows up every now and then. 

She has since married another man, but you can tell that her former fiance’s death still bothers her. I can relate to my friend in some instances because she lost someone she loved at a young age; however, I can’t go out and get a new mom. It’s not like I can just start over again. My mom was my mom and there is no replacing her, and I wouldn’t want to. My mom wasn’t perfect, but she was the best mom for my sisters and me. 

It is not surprising that our lives would change so much after her passing since she was the heartbeat of our family. You could always depend on her and rely on her to help you solve any problems. Nowadays, we tend to feel lost about the problems we face. We try our best, but nothing has been the same since my mom passed away.

Allowing Grief to Take Up a Part of Your Life

Ever since the day my mom passed away, grief has taken up a significant amount of space in my heart. I will never be the same person I was before my mom passed away. Granted, I already had depression prior to my mom’s passing, but her passing has done nothing to help my depression. It has only grown and intensified. Most people think depression is just crying and staying in your bed, and sometimes it is, but other times, it is anger outbursts, feeling misunderstood, or feeling hopeless about the future. 

Grief coexisting with depression is a double punch that I have to face every day. A new family moved in behind our home, and to this day, I cannot understand how they host parties and celebrations outside of their home almost every weekend. While my logical mind understands they never knew my mom and my personal loss doesn’t affect them, I still don’t understand how the world can keep spinning when my own life died a long time ago. Nothing is the same anymore, and it will never be the same again. 

Many people will say this is pessimistic, but for those who say that, I would argue that they have never gone through the death of a loved one or had to face grief. They simply don’t understand. Sometimes it takes all the strength in your body to admit that things won’t be the same because, when you do, the tears come, and the pain in your heart intensifies. Things will never be the same, and there is no point pretending they will be. 

My entire family has been affected by the death of my mom and rightfully so. To have someone so central to your life pass away is enough to send anyone into the darkest spiral of sorrow, depression, and pain. My family and I try our best to pick up the recovered pieces of this painful thing we call life, but our lives have been permanently altered by my mom’s death, and things will never return to what they were when she was alive. 

Giving Yourself Permission to Grieve Your Former Life 

Something that I have had to do is allow myself to grief my past life. When my mom was here, everything seemed brighter. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was better because she was in it. Once she passed away, it felt as though all the light in my life burned out. If you have also felt this, know that you are not alone in your struggles. We need to turn to Jesus and rely on Him to help us as we take time to grieve. 

Grieving will last for a long time, and for some of us, it might last for the rest of our lives. We have to understand that this is okay and is nothing to be ashamed of. We grieve so much because we loved so much. Therefore, we never need to be ashamed of our tears or our memories because they are immeasurable. 

Through the pain and grief, we never need to ignore the Lord. We can cast our anxieties, worries, and fears on Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Bring all of your pain, sorrow, and tears to Jesus and allow Him to give your soul peace. This is not a one-time practice, but rather, something we must continue to do throughout our lives. When pain, anxiety, and struggles come into your heart, hand them over to Jesus. 

All of the hardships in life will not endure forever. I will see my mom again in heaven, and whatever is causing you pain today will also see its end. Death, agony, and pain are not our final destination. Rather, eternal life with the Lord is our forever home, and we will never be full of sorrow again (Revelation 21:4). Take heart in knowing the Lord is with you, and He will mend the broken pieces of your heart (Psalm 147:3). 

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Filmstax

Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate: https://cultivatechristianity.wordpress.com/. 

Here’s what’s true. We are not designed to live hidden, isolated, or self-sufficient lives. God created us for connection – with Him and with each other. In fact, you don’t have to look far to find evidence of this truth in the field of neuroscience, which shows our brains are shaped by and thrive on connection. Psychology also reveals our emotional and psychological well-being depend on connection.

With that in mind, let’s explore what the Bible says about God’s design for relationships, what makes us avoid being vulnerable, what’s needed to connect with others, and the life-giving benefits of walking through both joy and hardship in community.

God’s Design for Relationships

From the very beginning, God’s Word tells us we are made in the image of a relational God. In Genesis 1:26–27, God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness.” The “Us” in that verse is extremely important. It shows that we were created from relationship (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) for relationship. God is, by nature, relational. Since we are made in His image, so are we. Sit with that for a little while and don’t rush past this great insight.

Genesis 2:18 drives this point home: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Even in the Garden of Eden where he walked with God, Adam’s aloneness was “not good.” This isn’t just about marriage. It’s about how we are wired for human connection. We are created with a need for relationship, for companionship, and for sharing life together.

The Bible is full of “one another” commands. As children of God, we are to love one another, encourage one another, bear one another’s burdens, and pray for one another. These commands show us how to live out the Christian life.

God’s design for relationships is further reflected in the New Testament. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied in Matthew 22:37-39, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ … And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” We are designed to express Christ’s life and love in us through our relationships with other people.

What Makes Us Avoid Vulnerability

Despite this clear biblical calling to connect, many of us still hesitate to intentionally find safe people to “do life” with and share our own needs. We fear judgment and may even show up wearing an invisible mask, smiling on the outside while silently suffering inside.

Another very real obstacle to connecting with others is the reality that not all relationships with other humans are safe or life-giving. If you’ve ever been hurt by someone you trusted, you know how hard it can be to trust again. Remember that you don’t need to share everything all at once and that trust is earned over time. Trust grows where there is a space for the other person to share as well. There’s a beautiful balance of giving and receiving. Vulnerability can only exist with people and in places where we feel safe.

Being vulnerable is a place we don’t like to find ourselves if we’re being honest. It seems weak and helpless and exposed. We don’t want to burden others or we’re afraid they may not understand what we’re going through. God designed us to need Him and others. It’s not because we are weak, but because we’re human. Depending on your personality type, opening up to others may be harder for you than some. That’s okay. When you share the ups and downs of life with those you trust, it becomes an opportunity for personal growth. 

What’s Needed for Connection

In order to share our stories, our joys, our struggles, and our spiritual journeys, we need a few key things. First of all, we need to find safe people who listen without judgment, share their own struggles, and keep what’s shared confidential. 

Connecting with others takes time and intentionality. We also need margin in our schedules to be available for others and to let others into our world. This may look like a weekly coffee date, a small life group or Bible study, a consistently scheduled Zoom call, or even a regular meet-up to walk together at a local park. 

Genuine connection flows from Christ’s life in us and is expressed through love, patience, and kindness. It notices when someone is weary and steps in with care. This isn’t about fixing one another. It’s about showing up and loving well.

What Makes Connection Important

We were created for connection with our Heavenly Father and with other  people to celebrate the mountaintop moments as well as walk through the dark valleys. When someone texts you to say, “You’re not alone,” or celebrates your wins with no jealousy or competition, this is where your deepest need for connection is met by others.

Walking together through life is a beautiful way to sharpen, challenge, and remind each other that God is good in the joy and in the sorrow. Having someone to call, text or sit with makes a big difference. These life-giving moments help us experience God’s love in tangible ways. Connecting with others gives us a community of prayer warriors and encouragers who believe in us and remind us of who we are in Christ. They also hold us accountable to pursue our God-given callings. 

Let’s build those life-giving connections and invite others into the real parts of our lives, not just the picture-perfect moments. This may look like a conscious decision to build connections with other adults, being intentional to authentically engage with others, and share what’s going on in our lives and families. Walking together through laughter and tears, in the hard and in the good, is what it looks like to live out our God-given design for connection.

Related Resource: How to Experience More of Jesus

Faith often becomes a checklist—prayer, scripture study, ministry—rather than a living, breathing relationship with Jesus. In this episode of the Unhurried Living Podcast, Alan Fadling speaks with bestselling author and teacher John Eldredge about shifting from a performance-based spiritual life to one rooted in presence, intimacy, and encounter.

We talk about how to slow down in a world that values hustle, how to rediscover wonder in the midst of cynicism, and how to create personal rhythms that foster authentic connection with Jesus. If you long to experience Jesus—really—this conversation is for you. f this episode helps you recenter your work and life on God, be sure to subscribe to Unhurried Living on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/katleho Seisa

Renee Bethel, author of Finding Me: A Woman’s Guide to Learning More About Herself, is a Professional Christian Life Coach and a Certified Enneagram Coach. Her passion is guiding growth-minded Christian women to step into their God-given identity so they can live more authentically and confidently in the freedom of who they are in Christ. If you’re ready to change how you view yourself and learn how God sees you, request her resource, Who am I – from God’s Perspective?

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let  the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23

Knowing when to let go of a fragmented relationship is a serious decision that requires God’s wisdom. You can only release your loved one with His blessing, peace, and assurance. If you believe the Lord is leading you to let go, here is a prayer that can help:

Lord, I am sensing it’s time to let this person go, but I need Your wisdom and guidance. I release all bitterness and unforgiveness, asking You to lead me in perfect peace. If this fragmented relationship cannot be repaired, please close the door gently, leading them in the way they should go, and guiding me on the path You have marked for me. I trust you in this, in Jesus’ precious name, amen.

 Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Fizkes