Can I change others?
I remember back in high school how much I fought with my mom. We were butting heads constantly and our relationship was most definitely strained.
After I had moved away to college, I thought I was fine without her.
Until God got ahold of me. I had been praying that God would change her so that we could get along better.
But I was going about it all wrong. God was telling me to pray for her. It wasn’t my job to change her.
But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! Matthew 5:44
Praying for her changed me. Over time, my heart and perspective of her changed completely. And it changed her in the process too. We both grew. And if you don’t know our story, I mentioned in yesterday’s devo that God changed our relationship overnight. And we have been best friends ever since.
It’s the same in marriage, in friendships and relationships, with coworkers. We can’t change people and it’s not our job to change others.
But as we begin to pray for others that we may struggle with, our hearts for them begin to soften. God is the only one who can change them and work on them. We just need to stay out of it and pray for them. That is our job and it works out so much better that way.
So I challenge you to think about the people in your life that you may have a difficult relationship with. Start praying for them and believing the best for them. Speaking life and encouragement over them. That is the perfect example of dying to yourself and killing your flesh.
It’s time we pray for our enemies and watch as the transformation takes place, in us.
Response Questions
1. Who are the people in your life that you have a difficult relationship with?
2. Are you willing to pray for them for a few minutes everyday?
Pray with me!
Father God, help me to see people like you see them. I know that I may have some difficult relationships, but change my heart for them as I start to pray for them. Help me to bless them and encourage them. Give me the strength to always speak life to them and about them. I want God’s best for me and for them. Thank you for always being there to lean on.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
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