21 Days of Prayer/Journaling - Day 9 - "Pray For Your Enemies"

Today's daily message is about praying for our leaders. This is easy for me. I am not a political person and I have only voted once in my entire life. God places our leaders in power and He has assigned people to vote for the leaders that He places in power. Politics is not something that God has made important in my purpose. Since God has placed specific people in power over our nation, we need to pray for them. Sincerely pray for them. "Please God help this political person pull their head out of their a**!" is not a sincere prayer. We need to pray for them to make the decisions that will help God in His purpose.

I'm not going to get on a soap box about praying for our leaders today. The question for today was, "Has praying for someone you didn't agree with ever changed how you viewed them?"

I don't have this problem with politicians. However, I do have this problem with people who hurt me and the people I love. The first issue I had with this was with a coworker. I was always very nice to this person and even roomed with her on a work retreat we went on. I thought we got along great. I wouldn't call us bff's but I thought we had a decent, professional relationship. Several months later I found out about all the horrible things she was saying about me. She told other people how much she hated me. I was too nice and I was a "prude". I suddenly felt betrayed and very angry. I had exchanged friendly words to her all this time just find out that her smiles were fake and she had nothing but hate for me. There was no explanation for her hatred. People speculated and told me their thoughts on why she had so much disdain for me, but it just didn't make sense to me. I found myself saying hateful things about her, as well. At times, I actually wished for physical harm to her because I felt so hurt by her words.

One weekend Pastor Hoover was talking about praying for our enemies and forgiving people who had wronged us. That's when I started praying. I have forgiven this person for the things she said about me. I realize now that her hatred for me had nothing to do with me at all. It wasn't until I gave the situation to God that I was able to have peace about the situation.

The most recent issue is one that I still need work on. My sister and I have become very close in the last several years. I would consider her one of my best friends. She is a wonderful shoulder to cry on and a great person to talk to about my walk with God. She is sincere and honest. She holds no punches and says what is on her mind. She is strong-willed and outspoken. And she loves deeply. She is fully dedicated to God and her family. I admire my sister and I will always look up to her. Right now she is struggling with the her in-laws. They don't and never have accepted her for who she is. She has found out about some of the awful things they have said about her and I can tell it breaks her heart. My sister has asked for me to pray for her in-laws when she has been too hurt to pray for them herself. I prayed, but it was a half-hearted prayer because of my own anger towards them. It certainly wasn't sincere and sounded very close to the prayer I said we shouldn't pray for our politicians. Even as I write this blog, I am rebelliously telling God that I really don't want to pray for these people who have hurt my sister so badly. God expects more from me, though.

 Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

So, even though it will be difficult, I will work on praying for my enemies and the enemies of my loved ones. It may not change the person, but it will change how I view that person and it will bring joy to God.