Praying For Those Who Have Hurt You: Choosing between your will and God's...

There was a time when I was hurt so badly by someone who was out to destroy my family. I had so much hatred and brokenness inside of me, but God taught me how to pray passionately for their salvation at the same rate that I prayed for their removal from our lives.

It took a very long time for me to get to that place, but now, when I think of this person and this situation, my heart is filled with joy in the victory of Jesus and sweet...oddly loving prayers...for that person.

Praise God who stood between me and myself!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Praise God who makes all things new!

There was a time when I had been hurt badly by someone who positioned themselves to be a spiritual encourager, but in fact, they were a narcissistic psychopath...they continually created problems and then made themselves out to be the solution.

It took a very long time for me to even see it, and then even more for me to begin to heal. However, there was a very specific moment when I was working to understand forgiveness with the song The Blessing playing in the background. It registered with me that my greatest prayer for them is that they experience the blessing of the love and forgiveness of God.

I began to pray regularly for the Lord's pleasure in their lives as opposed to mine, and my heart truly began to heal. It took a very long time for me to get to that place, but now, when I think of this person and this situation, my heart is filled with joy in the victory of Jesus and sweet...oddly loving prayers...for that person.

Praise God who stood between me and myself!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Praise God who makes all things new!

Sometimes God delivers us from relationships that are toxic because we would never let go of them ourselves. Sometimes God asks us to walk away from relationships because they are ungodly, and He gives us everything we need to make the choice to go. Always...every encounter we have has been allowed by God for the purpose of refinement. He does not create evil, but He uses it for His purpose and glory. His forgiveness and wisdom are perfect, and He is worthy of your total allegiance.

You have the choice to pray for your wretched way to be done, OR to pray for the blessing of the will of God through Jesus Christ to be done in them and you. What will you do today?

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 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen]. For if you forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others [nurturing your hurt and anger with the result that it interferes with your relationship with God], then your Father will not forgive your trespasses." Matthew 6:9-15