My daughter is a Christian but lately, she has been lured into feng shui practices. This year it has gotten more serious with her attending webinars by feng shui masters. Her obsession has led her to neglect her family’s needs and making big expenses in support of these beliefs, even changing her name. My husband and I, and even our grandkids, have warned her about its dangers but she has ignored all our warnings. How do we stop her from going further, including spending so much money on it?
Sue-Lynn says
Dear :'(,
I can hear your deep concern for your daughter and desire for her to turn away from pursuing feng shui. It can feel frustrating and helpless to see her go down this path, ignoring your warnings.
A hard truth is that we cannot directly stop someone, especially grown adults, from doing something you don’t want them to do. However, you can try to start from a point of understanding why she is going deeper into feng shui or other philosophies. Perhaps after many years of being a Christian, she has started wondering if Christianity is really true and has begun exploring other philosophies out of curiosity, without any intention of going so deep.
Try and find out where she is coming from. For example, is she trying to seek inner peace or find her “true self”? Find deeper meaning in life? Advance her career or increase wealth? Or seek answers to life’s toughest questions?
Be open to listen and slow to judge at this point. If she shares how her doubt and struggles with her Christian faith have led her to this search, provide advice and guidance. Offer to pray for her and, if she is open to it, seek pastoral counselling on this. If you know of any Christian who has wrestled with similar issues as your daughter and found ultimate fulfilment and victory in Christ, share their story with her too. If she is open, explain how some philosophies’ core beliefs are contrary to the Christian faith.
There is a possibility that she may reject your help at this point, which is of course disappointing. Meanwhile, continue to stand firm in your faith, trusting in a God who strengthens and upholds you both, especially in your struggles (Isaiah 41:10).
If you think that she is unlikely to listen even with the above approach, consider speaking to a Christian relative or family friend whom she looks up to and ask if they are willing to have this conversation with your daughter.
In keeping your daughter in prayer, take heart that our Good Shepherd actively seeks out his wandering sheep and brings them back to him in his perfect timing and ways (Luke 15:3-7).
