The Power of Praying for Others

Sunday Rewind is a 5-day Devotional based on the weekly sermon at Resonate Community Church

October 26th Sermon, Day 4

There's something almost magical that happens when we pray for people who have hurt us. The anger begins to soften. The resentment starts to fade. The desire for revenge transforms into genuine concern for their well-being. It's one of the most powerful tools in a peacemaker's arsenal.

When someone wrongs us, our natural instinct is to rehearse their faults, to build a case against them in our minds, to imagine all the ways they should be punished. But Jesus calls us to a radically different response: pray for those who persecute us. This isn't just good advice—it's a pathway to freedom.

Prayer changes us more than it changes our circumstances. When we bring someone before God in prayer, we begin to see them as He sees them—as a broken person in need of grace, just like us. We remember that they're fighting battles we know nothing about, carrying burdens we can't see. This doesn't mean we excuse harmful behavior or pretend that wrongs didn't happen. Rather, it means we choose to respond with the same mercy God has shown us. We pray for their healing, their growth, their relationship with God. We ask Him to bless them even when they've cursed us.

Consistent prayer for someone makes it nearly impossible to maintain hatred toward them. It's hard to wish someone ill when you're regularly asking God to do them good. Prayer becomes the bridge that leads us from bitterness to blessing, from conflict to compassion.

Bible Verse

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." - Matthew 5:44

Reflection Question

Who in your life do you find it most difficult to pray for? What would it look like to consistently bring that person before God with a heart seeking their good rather than their harm?

Quote I don't think you can hate someone that you consistently pray for.

Prayer

Jesus, You prayed for those who crucified You. Give me the grace to pray for those who have hurt me. Transform my heart through prayer and help me to see others as You see them. Amen.