7 Things to Do When Someone You Love Seems to Walk Away from the Faith

When someone we love appears to be straying from their faith, it’s essential to engage them with compassion and understanding. Begin by asking questions and seeking to understand their perspective and journey better. This method not only demonstrates care and empathy but also provides an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and support. Proverbs 20:5 states, 

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” 

We need to prioritize discerning individuals' underlying motivations and struggles, especially when it comes to matters of faith. By asking questions with genuine curiosity and openness, we can help uncover the root causes behind their doubts or struggles, paving the way for authentic conversation and connection.

Asking questions allows us to listen actively and attentively to their perspective without judgment or condemnation. Instead of imposing our own beliefs or attempting to provide quick solutions, we create a safe space for them to express their thoughts, feelings, and uncertainties openly. Generally, someone giving up on their faith has come to the decision with some grief and great struggle, and they may feel unsure or awkward sharing with someone of faith. This approach fosters trust and respect in the relationship, building a foundation for deeper understanding and support.

Not only does this help us engage with compassion, but the person walking away from God may not fully understand their journey yet. Asking questions encourages self-reflection and introspection, prompting them to articulate their beliefs and values more clearly. 

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After asking questions to understand better, it’s crucial to maintain an ongoing conversation with those who walk away from the faith, fostering an atmosphere of openness, understanding, and support. This approach not only demonstrates our genuine care and concern but also provides an opportunity to journey alongside them through their spiritual struggles and uncertainties. In Galatians 6:1-2, the apostle Paul exhorts believers, 

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” 

The principle here can apply to walking alongside our loved ones in their times of spiritual struggle, offering gentle and careful support as they navigate their faith journey. 

Many who begin to fall away from the faith may fear losing relationships with family or close friends. Being willing to keep the conversation going assures people we aren’t ending associations or relationships. 

Keeping the conversation going involves creating a safe and non-judgmental space for them to express their doubts, questions, and concerns openly, knowing that they are heard and valued.

In addition, continuing the conversation allows us to demonstrate our unconditional love and acceptance, regardless of their spiritual beliefs or choices. This continued conversation provides an opportunity to share our own faith journey and experiences, offering a perspective of hope and encouragement. 

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Along with keeping the conversation going, we must continue to be active in their life, attending events and willing to offer support in major areas. In Hebrews 10:24-25, believers are urged, 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” 

By staying involved, we can continue to spur them on toward love and good deeds, offering encouragement and support along the way. Staying involved in their lives entails remaining present and attentive to their needs, concerns, and experiences. It involves actively participating in their day-to-day activities, celebrations, and challenges, demonstrating our commitment to walking alongside them through every season of life. There may be times and decisions we can’t support or attend, but there will be several other opportunities to show we love them. By investing time and energy in building and nurturing our relationship, we create a safe and supportive environment for them to share their doubts, questions, and struggles openly.

Staying involved also provides an opportunity to model Christ-like love and compassion in action. Through acts of kindness, service, and generosity, we can demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel in our lives, inspiring our loved ones to reconsider their faith and draw closer to God.

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As we stay involved in their lives, we also need to keep inviting them into ours, demonstrating hospitality and acceptance. In 1 Peter 4:9, believers are encouraged, 

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 

If these are people we love, we should demonstrate hospitality and extend kindness and generosity to them, even if we don’t have the same spiritual beliefs. By inviting them into our lives, we create a welcoming space for them to feel loved, valued, and accepted. This entails extending invitations to spend time together, share meals, and engage in meaningful conversations. It involves demonstrating genuine interest and care in their well-being, making them feel included and cherished as part of our community and family.

Showing hospitality allows us to cultivate deeper connections and relationships with our loved ones, fostering trust, openness, and vulnerability in the relationship. Furthermore, showing hospitality provides an opportunity to model Christ-like love and compassion in action. Through acts of kindness, service, and generosity, we exemplify the transformative power of the gospel in our lives, inspiring our loved ones to reconsider their faith and draw closer to God. Also, as we keep inviting them to events important to us, our church activities are one of many. 

Remember, we can invite them, but that doesn’t ensure they will respond or attend. However, others may walk away from the faith; we should show love even if they never come back to God. This hospitality demonstrates our commitment to Christ-like love, as encouraged in 1 Peter 4:9. 

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Through the previous actions—asking questions, keeping the conversation going, and continuing to be involved in various aspects of life—we will have the trust and relational capital to share truth in love. In Ephesians 4:15, believers are urged to 

“Speak the truth in love.” 

The idea isn’t simply to share a Bible verse but to share truth in love. Love means desiring the best for a person, even at our own expense. Because we are spiritual beings with an eternal destiny, the greatest love shares truth for eternal good. Christ revealed this type of love, sacrificing and humbling himself to share the eternal gospel of the Kingdom of God. We communicate with honesty, sincerity, and compassion, especially when it comes to matters of faith. By speaking truth in love, we can offer gentle correction, guidance, and encouragement to our loved ones, helping them navigate their spiritual journey with wisdom and discernment.

We also don’t randomly share verses. Since we continue having relationships, our conversations, including faith, will be relevant, relatable, and accessible to our loved ones. With established open conversation, we encourage addressing doubts, questions and struggles with grace. Additionally, our conversations allow us to confront misconceptions, misunderstandings, and falsehoods that may lead our loved ones astray from faith. Gently guiding them back to the foundational truths of the Bible, we help them rediscover the hope, peace, and joy that come from a vibrant relationship with Christ.

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None of this works without prayer. We must commit to praying regularly for those who have fallen away from the faith, seeking God’s guidance, comfort, and intervention in their lives. This demonstrates our dependence on God’s power and sovereignty to do his work and acknowledges our loved one’s need for divine intervention and transformation. In James 5:16, believers are encouraged, 

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” 

This biblical exhortation emphasizes the significance of prayer in believers' lives and underscores the transformative impact of intercession on the spiritual well-being of others. The verse includes a specific type of person whose prayers are effective—a righteous person. Our actions and lives must reflect faith, and this integrity gives our prayers power. 

Praying regularly for our loved ones entails lifting them up before the throne of grace and interceding on their behalf with fervency and perseverance. It involves pouring out our hearts to God and expressing our concerns, hopes, and desires for their spiritual restoration and renewal.

Moreover, regular prayer allows us to align our hearts and minds with God’s will, seeking His wisdom, discernment, and guidance in how best to support and encourage our loved ones in their faith journey. By surrendering our concerns and burdens to God in prayer, we acknowledge he is the one who saves and trusts his perfect timing and plan for their lives.

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Paul, when describing the divine love of God, finishes with love, hopes, and believes all things (1 Corinthians 13). There is still hope in God. 

It’s essential not to give up on people but instead to persistently extend invitations and offer resources that may help reignite their spiritual journey. This approach demonstrates our unwavering commitment to their well-being and acknowledges the transformative power of community and spiritual guidance. In Hebrews 10:24-25, believers are encouraged, 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” 

Through maintaining fellowship and community, especially in times of spiritual struggle, we continue to engage and create opportunities to show and share the love of Christ. As time goes on, it becomes easy to give up on a person on a destructive path. However, God doesn’t give up on us, even when we continue in our rebellion. Remember the story of the Prodigal Son. The younger son technically wished his father (God) dead and wanted his inheritance now. As final as that seemed, the father in the story was waiting at the window, expectantly, for the son to return. There’s always hope with God. 

Through our relationship with them, we can exhibit this continual hope in God's work and love. We can only accomplish this through his power and Spirit. 

We have all walked away from the Father at some point or another; each of us rebels against God and is deserving of wrath and rejection. However, God is love; in that abundant love, he bestowed mercy and grace upon us, reaching out to us and saving us by his power. We couldn’t save ourselves; neither can we save anyone else. Salvation belongs to God alone. Repentance and faith are both spoken of as gifts in the Bible (2 Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:8-9), granted by the Father. 

Let us pray for those we love, that God will grant them the gifts of repentance and faith, and when they return, we will receive them back as sons and daughters once again. 

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