A Prayer to Pray For Your Enemies
I have a confession. On more than one occasion I’ve been petty. I wish I could say this behavior is relegated solely to my teenage years, but ashamedly, it has crept into adulthood.
Intentionally and without even thinking, I’ve examined situations from my restricted viewpoint and consequently labeled other women as enemies. Of course, I have never actually said these words out loud, but I thought them. I’ve formed assumptions about their actions and believed them to be true. Knowing this about myself, I know I need to pray for my enemies. But more importantly, I need to ask myself, who is my enemy? Who is my true enemy? When I stop to consider this, I know how to better direct my prayers toward the ultimate enemy of my life.
Why We Label Other Women as Our Enemies
If she didn’t call me back I assumed she wasn’t my friend. If she appeared to snub me at an event I reasoned she was two-faced. And if she didn’t invite me to her gathering, I assumed we weren’t friends anymore.
This is not to say it’s all been presumption. Some of these experiences weren’t just fabrications of my mind; they were real. I’ve been on the receiving end of gossip, slander, snobbiness, and shade.
And it would seem that the women who treated me this way belonged in the enemy category. Their actions were unkind, undeserved, and unwanted. They were the proverbial mean girl: the women we all love to hate.
