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Help: God's lost sheep

timid65
edited December 1969 in Personal Issues
I have a friend who used to be an aghnostos deacon and knew every Coptic hymn by heart. Some days he would even lead the congregation responses in the liturgy. I'm not sure what happened but now he doesn't dare stand a deacon. He used to teach Sunday School but he decided to quit. He still comes to church every Sunday bright & early and partakes of the holy communion. He also comes to youth meeting every week. He claims that he doesn't believe in God anymore and that religion is a stupid concept. He also drinks on a regular basis now, smokes shisha, goes clubbing and does drugs every now and then. And recently he has disowned me as a friend, although I used to consider him one of my closest friends. Now, he keeps our conversations relatively short and ignores my text messages. I do not know what has gotten in to him but it is very unfortunate. His situation saddens me greatly and I do not know what to do. It saddens my abouna also, but abouna says the only thing we can do is pray. If he claims to not believe in God, why does he still come to the liturgy, take communion and go to youth meeting every week?!?! What is wrong with my friend? How do I bring him back?

Comments

  • jydeaconjydeacon
    The only thing you can do is really just pray for him, if his mind is set you won't be able to change it. Let God do his work and take care of His lost son. He could have went through a rough patch and felt God abandoned him or never answered his prayers, a number of things, ask him exactly whats up and let him come around on his own. Just remember to keep praying for him. If he really didn't believe in God he wouldn't "waste" his time with church. Try to give him a little space but not so much that it seems as if you don't care. Again just keep praying for him, YOU can't bring him back at all, it will be God, you can help it by always supporting the teachings of the church and reinforcing that he does exist in examples possibly from your life but don't try to carry this burden on your own. I wish there was something else but praying that you could do, but there really isn't. Let God do His work, He will not let His children perish so easily.

    God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
  • deaconmark123deaconmark123
    Abouna is right you cant really force someone to believe in God, you can only set an example. The best way would to just always bother him to go to church when is not there, or to help out around the church, volunteer, etc... just pray and hope one day God brings him to his senses and he becomes the deacon he used to be.





  • neighbor
    I definately agree with them, it seems like the only thing there is to do is pray. Prayer is your strongest tool! :)

    god bless
  • socoolbishoysocoolbishoy

    What is wrong with my friend? How do I bring him back?

    I usually say this, WHO are YOU... are you GOD?! because if you are that would be really cool... you want to talk to your friend... you should, while asking God for guidance, because NO MATTER what you will do YOU cannot cant BRING HIM BACK... only The Almighty God can! that's of course like abouna and everyone said, pray! 

    when I left the church, all I wished for is ABOUNA TO CALL ME... and ask me to open up to him about any and everything that bothers me about the church... but all I found were JUDGMENTS from PRIESTS and CHURCH MEMBERS, nobody opened their heart to talk about things to me!

    ask abouna to reach out... and you do too... THROUGH THE ALMIGHTY GOD!!!

    akhadna el baraka, Neshkor Allah!
  • clayclay
    Yeah. Sometimes by leaving the Church in our youth, we are sometimes at the most sincere point of our lives- where we are wrestling free from our infantile faith and pursuing a more meaningful one. Usually this is a vital and pivotal point, and I do stress that reaching out with God's grace may be the difference between him under the shadow of the Lord's wings, or in the seat of the scornful. Whilst the Lord is the necessary labourer in bringing Him back to the Faith, He has always sent prophets and other godly men to bring His messages to the people. Today, we remember the reluctant prophet of God, Jonah. This might be you. This may be the parish priest. Whatever the case, prayer is necessary buddy.

    A book that might be helpful is "The Truth about the New Atheism" (david Marshall), or "re-enchantment of Nature" (Alister McGrath). I love the Book "God and you: Person to Person" (Fr. Anthony Conrais).

    Maybe, just ask other of his close friends at church just to be there for him. Sometimes if we just be quiet and listen, and show someone the love of God by just being there for him or her, that makes God really real to them. I remember when I sat next to someone who went to tears at school; I took out my Bible and gave them psalm 139 to read:

    1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
    2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
            You understand my thought afar off.
    3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
            And are acquainted with all my ways.
    4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
            But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
    5 You have hedged me behind and before,
            And laid Your hand upon me.
    6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
            It is high, I cannot attain it.
           
    7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
            Or where can I flee from Your presence?
    8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
            If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
    9 If I take the wings of the morning,
            And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
    10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
            And Your right hand shall hold me.
    11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
            Even the night shall be light about me;
    12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
            But the night shines as the day;
            The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
           
    13 For You formed my inward parts;
            You covered me in my mother’s womb.
    14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;[b]
            Marvelous are Your works,
            And that my soul knows very well.
    15 My frame was not hidden from You,
            When I was made in secret,
            And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
    16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
            And in Your book they all were written,
            The days fashioned for me,
            When as yet there were none of them.
           
    17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
            How great is the sum of them!
    18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
            When I awake, I am still with You.
           
    19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!
            Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.
    20 For they speak against You wickedly;
            Your enemies take Your name in vain.[c]
    21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?
            And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
    22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
            I count them my enemies.
           
    23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
            Try me, and know my anxieties;
    24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,
            And lead me in the way everlasting.
  • timid65
    Okay, thanks guys. But what may have possibly triggered this behaviour?
  • deaconwannaB
    el shetan, ya habibi.
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