Engage this day in prayer for the person you struggle with the most

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your heavenly Father. "Matthew 5: 44-45a

This is not an easy command from our Lord. But it is a command of love.

First of all, it calls us to love our enemies. Who are our enemies? We hope not to have "enemies" in the sense of those whom we have voluntarily chosen to hate. But we may have people in our lives for whom we are tempted to feel anger and for whom we have difficulty loving. Maybe we can consider anyone we fight with as our enemies.

Loving them does not necessarily mean that we must become best friends with them, but it means that we must work to have a true affection of care, concern, understanding and forgiveness towards them. This may be difficult for everyone, but it must be our goal.

The second part of this command will help. Praying for those who persecute us will help us grow in the right love and affection that we must promote. This aspect of love is quite simple even if it is also quite difficult.

Think of those you have a very difficult time to love. Those to whom you have anger. It could be a family member, someone at work, a neighbor or someone from your past that you have never reconciled to. It is in line with this Gospel passage to honestly admit that there is at least someone, or perhaps more than one person, with whom one struggles, both externally and internally. Admitting it is simply an act of honesty.

Once you have identified one or more people, think about praying for them. Do you spend time regularly offering them to God in prayer? Do you pray that God will pour out his grace and mercy on him? This may be difficult to do but it is one of the healthiest acts you can do. It can be difficult to show love and affection for them, but it is not difficult to consciously choose to pray for them.

Praying for those with whom we have difficulties is the key to allowing God to promote true love and concern in our hearts towards them. It is a way to allow God to reform our emotions and feelings so that we will no longer have to resist feelings of anger or even hatred.

Engage this day in prayer for the person you struggle with the most. Most likely this prayer will not change your love for them overnight, but if you engage in this form of prayer every day, in time God will slowly change your heart and free you from the weight of anger and pain that could prevent you from loving He wants you to have towards all people.

Lord, I pray for the person you want me to pray for. Help me to love all people and help me to love especially those who are difficult to love. Reorder my feelings towards them and help me to be free from any anger. Jesus I believe in you.

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