Pray For Your Enemies
Slowly but surely I am learning a major lesson and I guess I need to share it with you. Allow me to be honest with you. There are certain folks serving in particular governments in certain places in our world whom I simply cannot stand. I don’t like seeing people lose everything they’ve worked for all their lives and I don’t like watching our personal freedoms disappearing. I further don’t like dictators, folks who try to tell us what to do and I really don’t like people who impose upon us what we should believe. All of these things are simply not right.
Now that I’ve gotten all of that off my chest, I must confess that I have spent more time being angry about these things and not near enough time praying for these folks. With that said, my New Year’s resolution, at least for today, is that I am going to pray for the leaders in my own government, as well as the governments around the world whom I really don’t trust or like. I know God can soften these leaders’ hearts and He can open their eyes to see the truth. Who knows, perhaps He can even get them to think like I do!
When we are undergoing persecution, enduring slander or tolerating ridicule for Christ’s sake, we often forget the Lord’s command in Luke 6:27-28:
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Whether we are experiencing criticism directly from others or are feeling the affects of a misguided government that is disregarding God’s laws, we still must pray for our leaders, supervisors, employers, state officials, etc. Instead of griping and complaining today about our government, your work situation, or the condition of your community, let me encourage you to come before the Lord and pray for these people, that He may change their hearts and give them more compassion, wisdom and a knowledge about Him.
