As I ran along the beach in Destin last week, the Lord reminded me of an “enemy” and how my praying for her has morphed over the years. Here’s my three-step progression
- Initially, I was wholly David, invoking imprecatory prayers. (These are smiting your enemies kinds of prayers, where you ask God to deal swiftly with the person, exposing their sin, doling out justice).
- Then, by God’s grace, I moved toward forgivenessprayers where I desperately longed to have a right heart, getting rid of my bitterness, and learning to say “I forgive her” over and over again until it seemed to stick.
- Last, I moved toward blessing, where I asked the Lord to open her eyes, give her more of Himself, and bless her as she followed Him in her life.
So on the humid morning I ran, God reminded me of her again. Initially I ran through my three-step process. Then I wondered if she had done the same. Had she invoked imprecatory prayers upon me? Had she struggled to forgive me? Had she prayed for my blessing?
I asked God to listen to her prayers on my behalf, a scary move on my part. But here is how I worded it. Feel free to pray this prayer when you’re concerned about someone who has hurt you or you have hurt.
Jesus, if my friend has prayed vengeance upon me, I pray You would sift through that and find the parts of me that need correction. No doubt there’s a kernel of truth in her prayers. I am a sinner, in need of discipline and correction. Would you give her the holy gumption she needs to forgive me and let go of bitterness? And as I pray that, would You grant me the same request? And if she prays blessing over my life, please hear her prayer and bless her as I pray the same over her life. Amen.
Here’s my gift to you–a visual reminder to pray this every day for your “enemy” for a month. Simply click the image, save it, print it, then place it in your Bible or on your mirror or in a prominent place.
