I grew up a Roman Catholic where no one in my house prayed. Prayer for me was merely a short list of memorized prayers. I would pray through them quietly, alone at bedtime, which, as I look back, was the beginning of a prayer life.
It wasn’t until I was in my early 30s that I found myself in the living room of a church member surrounded by a group of women praying aloud and interceding for various situations, complete strangers and each other. This was a totally new experience for me, and I took it all in. First, it struck me that their prayers were earnest, heartfelt, loving, and carried the tone of praise to God. It was the first time in my life that I had this type of prayer modeled to me. Moreover, their prayers seemed to reflect a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – as if they really knew him as a friend and someone they could depend on.
Though the experience was all very new and foreign to me, it intrigued me and made me want to learn to pray that way as well. I look back at that evening sitting in that living room as an important maturing moment in my walk with the Lord.
Now more than 20 years later, my prayer life is characterized by a cadence of thankfulness and gratitude. Of course, it’s not perfect, but I am much more thoughtful about praying for situations, people, immediate needs, forgiveness, as well as for the many good gifts God gives me, including Himself.
One of the current focuses of my prayer life is to ask for the strength to give God the temptation to feel offended by others. I am trying to look through those instances with a different mindset and without choosing to distance or alienate myself from my offenders. Praying loving prayers for that person can be admittedly difficult in the moment. However, I realize that it is my work to love them and give my forgiveness as Christ does for me daily. By praying for them and sending up prayers of unconditional love, I intend to glorify God by following his example to the best of my ability. I carry this citation on my phone as a reminder:
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:21-23)
When I am offended by others, I want to refuse to produce the fruit of hurt, anger, outrage, jealousy, resentment, strife, bitterness, hatred, and envy in my life. I hope that through prayer and the power of God’s Spirit at work in me, He will protect me from offense and instead give me peace.