"But I tell you: Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who insult and persecute you" (Matthew, ch. 5, verse 44*).
I inherited a family feud that had existed for more than fifty years. It was a battle over a piece of land that continued from generation to generation. It is called "inheritance property," and things can get messy when everyone wants the same inheritance. During the legal preparations, I received a document that irritated me so much that I became angry.
I wanted to respond with vengeful words. I was going over everything I thought to say in my mind. Anger is not a fruit of the Spirit, and I needed someone to hear me. I called a friend and explained the situation. Honestly, I wanted to hear from her: "What has she done!?" to fuel my anger even more. Instead, my spiritual sister asked:
- Have you prayed for her? What is her name?
Then we prayed. What a revelation! Prayer changed my entire focus, and I began to mention my cousin's name in my daily prayers.
Things turned out in such a way that legal proceedings were avoided, and the Lord ended the fifty-year feud with a compromise. On that day, I gained much more than land. I acquired a new perspective that made me want to seek forgiveness. Praying for those with whom we have disagreements redirects our minds from anger and pain and shifts our focus to the new life in Christ for all involved in the conflict.
Link to the original article: https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2024-03-04
* Biblical quotations are from Bible, new translation from the original languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013