Are you singing this over those who have hurt you?

When the heart is fond, pray for blessings.

When the heart is broken, pray for blessings.

When people are kind, pray for blessings.

When people are unfair, pray for blessings.

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Last year, I was dealing with tremendous hurt that I didn't know what to do with. I felt like I kept praying in circles. One day, though, while I was singing "The Blessing," the Lord caught my heart's attention with a simple question.

Are you singing this over those who have hurt you?

Immediately, my heart was broken because the answer was NO. No, I had not been praying that God would bless them. That was the furthest thing from my self-pitiful heart.

Praise God, though; He is set on making my heart look more like His.

So, over the past year, through the guidance of a dear friend on the power of this activity, I have worked harder at praying for blessings over people. It is still a whole lot easier to do it for those whom I have sweet relationships with, but every time that I slow down in my anger, fear, hurt, and self-pity and intentionally pray for God to bless the people around me with Himself, I am changed. I stop praying for others to do things the way I want them done, and I pray for God's will and pleasure in their life and mine.

While I still sing the song we all know and love, I have started writing blessings for others based on my own experience with our gracious and faithful God. I have found this to be one of the most beautiful, refreshing ways to spend time in prayer over the people God has entrusted me with—this includes the hard ones! Yes! God has entrusted us with challenging people and circumstances. He wants to teach us to pray over them according to His character.

My dear friend challenged me to write this first blessing, and now I challenge you to do the same. Sit down and write out a prayer of blessing. Start by praying it over yourself. As your heart shifts to wanting more of God and less of you, the Holy Spirit is moving, and you are ready to pray for others according to His heart.

“May the Lord bless you and protect you;

 may the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you; may the Lord look

with favor on you and give you peace.”’

Numbers 6:24-26