Let me ask you a question: who do you pray for? If you had asked me this question a couple of months ago I would have answered my family, friends, all loved ones, those who are fighting any and every kind of illness and the list goes on.
What you wouldn’t normally find would be our government officials or those I have a dislike for. Being totally honest here. If I did it was kind of a grudgingly inclusion. More of a “look, Lord, I am praying for them” and it was through gritted teeth.
Around the death of George Floyd that changed. One night as my husband and I were praying I prayed for Mr. Floyd, his family, the police officers, the protestors, the people in leadership and the list goes on. I begged God on behalf of our country. Now, this occurs most days. Somedays, usually exhausting ones, there are the short prayers that are kind of “blanket” prayer.
What is interesting is what happened a week or two after this started. My husband looked at me one day and said “I am being asked to pray for President Trump.”
Let me say here that neither of us voted for President Trump in 2016. While I have become more supportive of him I have a strong desire to have someone wrestle his phone from him. My husband has not been supportive or, honestly, kind when it come to the president.
So my husband has been praying for our president daily. I, the “I don’t trust any politician” now prays for all of them daily. Last night I started praying for the protestors and the rioters.
I have to tell you it is amazing. What God is working in our life through praying for people who my normal reaction is “they need a good shaking” is now “they need love”.
It isn’t easy, but that is the point of it.
One of my favorite movies is “The Star” and my favorite line is said by Mary.
“Just because God has a plan doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy, and that scares me.”
Yet, through her whole life she had faith. I strive to have a fraction of the faith that our Blessed Mother had.
It isn’t easy and I call on God to help me all the time. I will say it is so worth the effort. The change will amaze you.
God Bless
Just Be 