A friend of mine once offered advice to a hurting young Christian lady who couldn’t understand why her father was keeping a distant relationship. He would not call for months at a time, and would put off planned events with his daughter. Any attempt at visiting was extended through the daughter, rather than both ways. The advice that my friend gave was from experience in their own life with their father who would shy away from contact. My friend stated that before their father had gotten saved the exact same thing was happening, yet it was not that he didn’t love his child, but that there was spiritual war going on. You see, the unsaved father was not avoiding his child, but was avoiding the Holy Spirit in his child.
A similar thing happened to me just after I began living as a Christian. Many of my friends and family considered me a “goody two shoes” and would filter every action and piece of advice through that opinion, “You think you’re better”. At times when I would give advice or an opinion it would be taken that way, and I would be hurt.
Jesus however, tells us in Matthew chapter 10:21-22, “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, if you are living a holy lifestyle and find yourself in a situation like this, just remember that it could be that Christ is being rejected – not you!