Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48
Wow! What a powerful passage. If our purpose here on Earth is to bring others to Christ, this is the path upon which our success lies. How can we teach others about Christ’s love, when we respond with anger, hate, and judgment to those who we perceive as our “enemy”? This verse is so important to our foundation, and our witness as Christians, that I urge you to go back and read each line carefully. I have had to read this verse over and over throughout the last few months because in my human imperfection, I have found that living by these words, Christ’s words, is a struggle.
This is not meant to take a political stance in any way, but let’s face it, politics have caused many a Christian to struggle with this command. The divide in our country has not only been between non-Christians, but it has pulled Christians right into the middle of it. For me the struggle occurs because there is no clear-cut candidate that meets all the values that Christ asks me to exhibit in my life. This forces me to prioritize these values, and my priorities don’t always line up with my fellow believers. Thus, the disagreements amongst us. To further add to the confusion, my fears about what may happen if things don’t go my way, make the stakes even higher. All this leads me back to the question, “How can I possibly pray for someone who I see as a threat to what I hold so important?”
Christ, in His infinite knowledge, knew that we would struggle with this command. In His love, He commanded us to pray for our enemies because He knows that this is not only good for the world, but it is necessary for my own heart. Praying for our enemies can seem impossible, but only if I attempt it without God’s help. What I have come to realize is that when I am struggling with the inability to pray for those who I consider a threat, I am in reality struggling with a lack of faith in God’s sovereignty, and God’s love for us. In forgetting that He is in control, I feel I need to be in control, and in truth this will never happen. Understanding this causes me to approach God in a totally different way. It causes me to approach Him, asking for a humbled heart and asking Him to remind me that His plan is always better than anything humans can conceive.
Normally I am not one to follow a prayer format. My talks with God are usually more casual and free flowing, but because I sometimes struggle with praying for my enemy, I have used the following format to help me. When my emotions are controlling me, these steps give me a path for my prayer:
- Acknowledge that God is all knowing and that He loves each of us individually and collectively; That He has a far better plan for both me and the world than I can even begin to imagine.
- Lift up my relationship with the person I perceive as my enemy. I share with God why I feel threatened or hurt by this person.
- Humble myself and acknowledge that I am limited in what I know and understand. Admit that sometimes my selfishness guides me in believing I know best. Ask for forgiveness in times when I forget who is in control.
- Ask God to soften both my heart and the heart of my “enemy.” Ask God to help us both discern His will, and to affirm where we are in alignment with His thinking and reveal to us where we need to change our thinking.
- Ask for protection from anything that might threaten what God has planned for either of us. This is where I pray for the health and safety of my enemy. Because I have given it over to God’s will, I know that praying for my enemy’s health and safety is not a threat to me.
- Thank God for His love, patience, and guidance as we learn to navigate the very complicated relationships we have with people who we see as our enemy.
In praying for my “enemies,” I quickly find my heart softening to God’s will. Most of all, praying for my enemy keeps me right with God and when I am right with my Father, my soul rests easy. This command is God’s gift to me, and God’s plan for the world.
Sue Nicklas
10/06/2020