People will tick you off! They will hurt you unprovoked. Sometimes, they will leave you hanging after you have been there for them many times.

Life lesson 101 – rain comes. We cannot allow ourselves to drown in it.

 

I have read the book Fervent by Priscilla Shirer. It is an excellent prayer manual. At the end of each chapter, the authors urges the reader to write a prayer strategy based on the topic of the chapter.  I was just getting really good at my morning prayer and devotional. It had truly  become a habit. Then this happened – I was in a relationship with someone and wrote wonderful prayers for his future. They included how I wanted God to bless him and make him great. Then this individual did something pretty hurtful.  I would get to my prayer card with these prayers for him and I would stop. I did NOT want to pray good for him, especially, after he had been so rude and hurtful to me.

So much of the Christian walk is counter intuitive to the world’s view. The world preaches and eye for an eye. Jesus implores us to turn the other cheek. The secular view is to hate those who hate you. God tells us to love our enemies. He actually goes one step further with this scripture in Matthew:

“ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44.

Herein lies the rub. How can you honestly wish good for someone who has harmed you or you know would curse you if given the chance?

It is about control. You cannot control another person. You can only control your reaction to him/her. When someone hurts you or rejects you, that is out of your control. The desire to get even is a very human, natural response. But, we are called to live supernatural lives. Ya’ know, Super Nerdy Church Girl. You see what I just did there.

I started to pray honestly for him again but first I had to pray for me. I had to ask God for a heart of forgiveness. I had to ask him to help me see this person with the love of Christ. My prayer life is back stronger than ever. Although the enemy hit me with an unexpected wave, he did not know this girl knows how to swim.