Jesus instructs us to "pray for our enemies" & "pray blessings on those that curse you."
A couple months ago - I began to do exactly that...Calling out in prayer people that either were my enemies or that I had developed strong negative feelings toward.
When I first tried this - just saying their name was about all I could get out...But, over a period of a few weeks - after calling their name out every day in prayer; I honestly got to where I was (and still am) wanting God to truly bless them. And, through that - I was able to process anger...bitterness...hurt...revenge...sorrow...and probably a few other feelings within. A process of personal healing really took place - I became totally free of their impact on my life.
Part of the trick is to that when you pray blessings on them - you leave it at that - no more & no less. Leaving the interpretation of that up to God - you realize that if God blesses them - He will do what's right in their life - just as you trust He is doing in your own.
So, now daily - I call out people's names & have even wept over them as I truly want God to bless them...When Jesus taught us how to live & how to treat each other - though he placed a greater standard on each of us - he was teaching us how to obtain the abundant life He came to give.
Lord - bless my enemies...
Crazy thing - another scripture says "that when OUR ways please the Lord - HE will make even our enemies at peace with us!"
Lord - Help my life be pleasing to you...
Peace
1 comment:
PB, I want you to know that when you taught on this it hit me hard. I know that I to have anger in my heart, not towards people that hurt me, but towards people that hurt a love one, a friend,.. you know our story. I even tried to justify my anger and my thoughts. I can still only say the names in prayer , but I knwo that is a start. At times I feel compasion towards them and I know that I should love them like Christ, but the feelings are deep. I guess I am confused because I thought we were all learning about the same Jesus. The one who taught us to love , encourage, forgive, strengthen each other. I have had to sit back and look at what has happened around me in the past two years. I have learned a lot about myself, and about others. The most important thing I learned so far is that when it all come down to it, all I have is Jesus and that is all I need. He is the only one who I can 100% trust in and 100% count on. I hope that will help me be a better friend, wife, mother and sheep.
Kim - Keep going!
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