Pray For Your Enemy

“Let God handle your enemies. You just keep praying for them.” - Unknown

One day God told me something that was really hard to swallow. He wanted me to pray for the man who purposely hurt me. I absolutely did not want to. In the beginning, I wanted him to burn. I wanted him to suffer. But when God said forgive because it’s part of my healing I did. But to pray for him to be blessed?! What? It led to a very difficult conversation. Why? Why would I wish good things for him. Why can’t I just walk away and live my life. Let him live his. I wish him no ill will anymore. I am focusing on my children and my path in life. I am respectful. I am courteous. I don’t try to get revenge in any way. I don’t even care what he does as long as it’s not negatively affecting me and especially my kids. 

The day before I noticed he wasn’t doing well and looked sickly and I laughed inside. Not going to lie. It did give me some joy. I know I am not alone in this. Don’t leave me hanging.  Who has not had pleasure in seeing an enemy in pain. He was feeling pain. Maybe if he feels it he will know what he has been doing to me. But then I heard Rick Warren’s gentle teaching voice in my head reminding me of a lesson he taught. He said hurt people hurt people. So, of course, they would want to inflict pain on others.

It’s hard for a person who’s in pain to see others feeling joy around them.

 It was pointless to wish pain on him and it was not my place to do so. It was also not my place to be happy he’s in pain. I needed to instead pray for his healing. I needed to pray for him to be blessed. I needed to pray for him to be in a good place, because then he would know love and show it to others. Blessing him would then be a blessing for us as well. Whether you are connected to them or no longer connected to them at all you are still required to pray for them. You wouldn’t want them to hurt anyone else the way they hurt you. Don’t allow the cycle of pain to continue. Any wrong that is done to us we must leave to God to avenge for us. He sees all and knows all. The unbearable pain. The tears we have cried. The trauma we have received. He has not missed a single thing. If you find it too hard at this point to pray for them that’s absolutely understandable. They did hurt you inconceivably. One day you will get there. What matters now is your healing.