Justin Bieber is not asking for prayers right now.
While the singer worries fans with joyriding and social media antics, we’re meant to believe that those closest to him don’t share these concerns.
But now Bieber’s own mother is publicly praying for his “healing.”
He doesn’t seem to appreciate the added attention — and is clapping back at his own mom.
Pattie Mallette is asking fans to pray for her son
Last month, Justin Bieber’s mom Pattie Mallette took to her Instagram page to pray for her son’s “healing.”
In the September 24 post, she wrote that “we’re cheering you on and praying for you always Justin.”
“I declare freedom, strength, clarity, and healing over you Justin,” Mallette expressed.
She prayed: “Every chain of fear, confusion, heaviness, and pain — be broken in Jesus’ name. Holy Spirit, surround him with TRUTH, LIGHT, and PROTECTION.”
Mallette’s invocation continued: “HEAL EVERY WOUND in his heart, mind and body, seen and unseen, restore what’s been stolen, and cover him in WHOLENESS.”
“Fill him to OVERFLOWING with Your LOVE and COMFORT,” Mallette pleaded.
“Continue to raise him up as a voice for Your Kingdom, unshaken and on fire for You Lord,” she said of her son.
“Silence every voice that doesn’t come from You,” Mallette went on. “And let his life be a bold witness of Your power, love, and healing grace.”
Then, seeming to want support and agreement from social media followers, she concluded her post with: “Say amen if you agree.”
This is where her son chimed in with a snarky reply.
Justin Bieber says no thanks, but not in so many words
A couple of weeks later, Justin Bieber penned a response to his mother’s mystical caption.
“Only thing I need healing from is my rolled pinky toe from playing ping pong,” he wrote.
We are, of course, sorry to hear about his toe.
Toe injuries are not necessarily the worst wound that a person might incur, but they are a literal pain.
Additionally, leg-and-food wounds tend to heal more slowly than wounds on the upper body. “It’s farther from the heart” sounds like mystical lore about trying to kill a vampire, but the human body is strange in several ways.
But Bieber’s comment is not really about his toe.
Unless we are totally misreading it, it appears to be a clear refutation of his mother’s post.
To be clear, Bieber is a devout Christian.
(As you may have inferred, so is his mother — Pattie Mallette posts “end times” content on social media from time to time and then goes on with her day)
His religious beliefs absolutely incorporate invocations like this. It seems that he simply resents the implication that he requires healing or other divine intercession.
This could have been a private conversation between mother and son
For a couple of years now, concerns about Justin Bieber and his behavior — and mental health — have been on the rise.
He doesn’t seem to enjoy the negative attention, even though he continues to invite these worries.
And, clearly, he wanted to shut down his mother’s public prayer from feeding into this.
We’re reminded of how Dolly Parton’s sister asked for prayers, causing fear and confusion. (She’s fine, folks!)
In fact, we’re also thinking of when Hailey Bieber’s notorious father prayed for the couple a couple of years back. That, too, seemed to be confirmation of everyone’s concerns.
Should Bieber take these external worries seriously? Or should people keep their prayers more private? (Maybe both?)