Don’t Ever Stop Praying for That Person

I’ll never forget a season in my life when someone caused me so much heartache. She was mean, ugly-hearted, and said hurtful things about me - even though she didn’t really know me. Her words cut deep, and I carried bitterness toward her for a long time.

At first, my prayers weren’t the kind that honored God. I prayed against her. I asked God to remove her, to silence her, to keep her far away from me. In my mind, that felt justified - after all, she was the one hurting me.

But one day, as I was venting in prayer, the Lord spoke so clearly to my heart:

“Why don’t you pray for her instead?”

That caught me off guard. Pray for her? The last thing I wanted to do was bless someone who had been cruel to me. Yet Matthew 5:44 echoed in my spirit:

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

So I surrendered. “Okay Lord, I’ll try it Your way.”

From that day forward, I began praying differently. I prayed blessings over her life. I prayed that God would soften her heart, bring conviction, and draw her to salvation. I prayed that He would heal whatever wounds inside her caused her to lash out at others. And I didn’t just pray once - I prayed faithfully for almost 20 years.

Something amazing happened in the process: my heart began to change. Instead of anger, I started to feel sorrow for her. The Lord opened my eyes to see that anyone who lives with that much bitterness must be deeply hurting inside. Slowly, my bitterness melted into compassion. Where I once felt rage, I now felt love.

Ezekiel 36:26 reminds us of God’s power to change hearts:

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

That’s exactly what God did - He softened my heart while also preparing hers.

And guess what? Years down the road, that very woman came to know the Lord. Not only that, but today we share a very special relationship that only God Himself could have written.

Looking back, I realize something powerful: prayer not only moves God’s hand in the lives of others, it also transforms us. When we pray for those who hurt us, God works on both sides. He heals our hearts while preparing theirs.

Galatians 6:9 says,

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Sis, don’t ever stop praying for that person. Even when it feels pointless. Even when nothing seems to change. Even when your own heart is still healing. God can do anything, in anyone, at any time.

So keep praying. Keep believing. And trust that God’s timing is perfect. Because one day, you just might look back and realize that the person you once prayed against is now the person you thank God for.

• Is there someone in your life right now who feels impossible to love?

• How could you begin to shift your prayers from against them to for them?

• What might God want to do in your heart as you obey Him in this way?

Father,

Thank You for the reminder that prayer is powerful. Help me to obey Your Word and pray for those who have hurt me, even when it feels hard. Soften my heart, remove bitterness, and replace it with compassion. I trust You to do what only You can do - change hearts, heal wounds, and restore brokenness. I lift up that person who comes to mind right now, and I pray Your blessing, Your truth, and Your salvation over their life. Thank You that You can do anything in anyone, at any time. In Jesus’ name, amen.