Writing Prayers

My small group leader at Rutherford Bible Chapel asked me to make a list of everyone’s birthday in our group. She wanted to recognize each person and celebrate them during their birthday month. We decided that saying a prayer for each of them would be an appropriate way to mark their special day. I offered to write a personalized prayer for each person and read it to them on their birthday. As someone’s date was coming close, I would write down my thoughts or jot down notes of their family, their walk with God or trials they have overcome. I would then put it all together in the form of a prayer. At first it was an enjoyable, easy task. I wrote prayers for people that I was close to and who I knew very well. As time went on, I needed to write prayers for people who were only acquaintances and then for people that challenged me. I learned a valuable lesson during this process. Each of us are a child of God. Every person has redeeming qualities and no matter what your relationship is, you should show them love.

Then God challenged me… He asked me to write a prayer for a person in my personal life who is an estranged family member. Someone that I have not seen in years and I did not want to make amends with that person..

Do you really want me to do this God?

Can I get past the pain and struggle?

Can I learn to show love to people who have hurt me?

Will you please help me?

I do believe the answers to these questions are YES!! A good way to spend my time is to have God teach me about love. The exercise I was doing for my small group turned into a lesson from God. Is that what God had intended all along? It took me about 10 days of a tug of war with words to write a prayer for this person. Can I look at them lovingly? Can I remember their good qualities or has my heart become too hard. I prayed and asked for the strength to get through this challenge. Doing an exercise like this can bring you closer to forgiveness.

So now I have an open invitation for you. We are all suffering on the inside over a past relationship. Sit down and write a prayer for that person. You may even need to ask for some grace and write a prayer to yourself. Trust God to help you and have the faith to get through it. Your soul will feel so much lighter.

“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Matthew 6:12