Counsels on Relationships

Counsel #28 — Prayer

Picture: Counsel #28 — Prayer CR 386.1

Have you ever knelt in prayer and asked God to protect or heal someone who hurt you? In Matthew 5:44, Jesus doesn’t give a suggestion. He gives a command: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Praying for someone who has hurt you releases you from the cycle of bitterness and places the offender in the hands of the only One who can truly transform a heart. CR 386.2

This kind of prayer is about asking God to align your heart with His, to replace resentment with compassion, and to dissolve the poison of hatred before it hardens into bitterness. Society may applaud payback or cutting people off, but God calls you to a higher standard: overcoming evil through grace. It’s one of the most countercultural and Christlike things you can do. Even in doing this, it’s important to realize that prayer for and over someone who hurt you isn’t something that can be done from human will. Only the Holy Spirit can give the strength to do this. Give yourself grace! Your prayers might start small, such as “Lord, bless them,” and that’s okay. Start the process and trust God to do the rest.^[410] CR 386.3

“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 NIV CR 386.4

“But it is only the Spirit of God that gives love for hatred.” Ellen White in Reflecting Christ , p. 72 CR 386.5

Reflect: Has someone wounded your spirit whom you can begin praying for today? CR 386.6