Jesus told us to pray for our enemies — perhaps the most counter-instinctive command he gave. This prayer is for obeying it, before the feelings catch up.
The prayer
Father, you told me to love my enemies and pray for those who wrong me. It does not come naturally, so I come to you to learn it.
I bring before you the one who has hurt me. By faith, and ahead of my feelings, I ask you to bless them and to do them good.
Take from me the poison of revenge. I hand you the debt they owe me; vengeance is yours, not mine. Guard my heart from growing hard while I wait for justice.
Change them, if it is your will — and change me, whatever their will. Let me overcome evil with good, as you overcame mine. Amen.
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;
Pray for them which despitefully use you — obedience here heals the one who prays before it ever reaches the one prayed for.
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