“But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you”

Luke 6:27-28

“Pray for those who hurt you”. Those are challenging words, aren’t they? This may not be the first thing we think about when someone has wronged us, but prayer is the most powerful thing we can do to free our hearts when we feel nothing but hurt. It is also the most sacrificial thing we can do to take what the enemy means for evil and use it for good.

We have all fallen short of God’s glory at times, yet God, in his grace, makes us right in his sight (Romans 3:23-24). And because we have been made righteous through Him, we have the power to pray on behalf of others, and “not withhold good for those who deserve it when it’s in our power to act” (Proverbs 3:27). 

To love God and love others means acting in their best interest. When God settled the relationship between us and him, he then called us to settle our relationships with each other (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). So, when we pray for our enemies, we should not just pray that they will change. We should not pray for them to come crawling back to us with an apology. We should pray that we both will BE changed. Giving up our pride to prayer will free both parties to be open for reconciliation to God and to each other.

Praying blessings over our enemies will also free us to see them differently. As God softens our hearts, we gain His perspective, and it becomes harder to stay mad. When we give up our right to remain mad, we begin to see good things about that person instead of bad, and we allow Christ’s love to control us, rather than letting what wronged us control our emotions. Whatever it is that is held in our hearts, when we pray for our enemies, the Spirit begins to “work in you to will and act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). 

God will always use our willingness to pray and turn it into something good. Praying for our enemies does not make what happened right, but it does open the door to make things right with God and with the person that did it. And when things are right, we are free to love and be the people that God created us to be.

Think of a specific person that causes you distress. Lift them up to the Lord today. Ask God for forgiving hearts, for increased love, and for a mutual compassion that moves you both closer to Him. Pray for those who hurt you. Yes, pray! And experience the freedom that only comes from prayer.

12 words

Our absence of prayer is our greater enemy than our enemies themselves.

Dear Lord, I want to experience true freedom that can only come from you. Help me to use those who have hurt me as a way to draw closer to you and free my heart of the burdens that keep me in chains so that I can be your messenger of love. Amen.

Scripture Reflection:
Luke 6:27-31
2 Corinthians 3:12-18
2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2