IN HIS GRIP: Pray for Those Who….

There was a person who has said many not-so-nice criticisms about me, in his own assumption that he was good at analyzing people, being over-smart and all. He said that there was something wrong with my personality, criticized my upbringing and my being a Filipino, and specifically mocked my faith saying that being too religious makes a person not-so-smart (and also said that I have awful grammar). His words used to have very negative effects on me. It used to disturb me, make me doubt myself, and make me feel so much anger towards him. This thing went on for many months.

But a month ago, after my constant prayers for God to either pull me out of that place or help me deal with the situation, God impressed a couple of things in my heart:

1. WHO ARE YOU LISTENING TO? One time, when I was feeling so down with mean words that were said against me, I received a reply from my former boss in the Philippines. I previously told him how his life has been a blessing to me and that his examples had been a tremendous help to my spiritual growth. I told him that I haven't neglected giving glory to God through writing and graphic design, (which I compile on my blog (http://attickat.blogspot.com), and how pleasurable the reading the Bible has become for me.

Here was his reply: "...It sounds like maybe you have crossed over to that point where your life will be centered on being a daughter with whom the Lord is well pleased. I am so happy about that because I know how much joy it will bring into your life in every area. It will be wells of living water spring up in your soul. (This made me dig through a much older email when I helped redesign and proofread a document for fundraising, and here’s what he said: I hope you are getting plenty of chances to practice your creative graphics skills.  You have so much talent.  And also your creative writing.  Especially the things the Lord is teaching you.  If you are still doing that, pls put me on your mailing list."

What an encouraging thing to receive from someone I look up to! I immediately praise the Lord for these kind words. This taught me that I should listen, NOT to people who would bring me down, but to those who would boost me up and inspire me to do better -- people whom I respect, people who lead respectable lives that are worth following, people whose gentle rebuke would still be an encouragement and give confidence, knowing that this was done out of love and care towards me.

More importantly, I learned to "know my true identity in Christ Jesus.” I am His daughter whom He has redeemed from sin and death and has become a new creation. The old me is gone, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). It is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20). And the Lord continues to mold me into Christ-likeness day after day. God is my joy, my strength and my confidence. He is my GOD and I belong to Him. I will listen to Him. And I will set my eyes upon Him and focus on shining His glory in all I do.

2. PRAY FOR GRACE TO ABOUND. Honestly, it has been a struggle for me to pray for someone who has hurt me. Instead, I kind of try my best to keep them off my thoughts to prevent them from ruining my day! :P  But seriously, this was something I knew wasn't right, something I knew that Lord has to deal with in me. After all, Jesus commanded in Matthew 5:44-48 "“…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”

So I prayed for the God to change my heart. I asked God, "How do I pray for people who persecute Christians, mock You and profane Your holy name? How do I pray for those whom I find it hard to pray for?"

I found my answer as I was walking home while listening to a preaching by Paul Washer. He was talking about Apostle Paul's letter to the Thessalonians -- how Paul would kind of turn a common greeting "grace to you.." into a prayer.

Pastor Washer said, "When you look at someone who is wayward or immature, or acting badly or this or that, and you have a critical spirit, what are you like? Do you say "grace unto them, Lord, multiply grace?" You look at someone and their failure and you don't criticize but you hit your knees and say, 'let grace be multiplied, Oh God.' And with the grace, peace and every other Christian virtue."

It was a rebuke, as well as a reminder for me. How much do I pray for the unbelievers? How much do I pray for those who hate God? How much do I pray for those who don’t know God? How much do I pray for those who persecute me? How much do I persevere in prayer until I see God move and deliver? Well I know how much –ABSOLUTELY NOT ENOUGH. Oh that my heart be crushed and be burdened to love more and pray more!

To my brothers and sisters who have gone (or going) through the same, let me tell you that we will still go through a lot of the same circumstances and meet many people wherein our faith and patience will be tested. But this time, let us always remember to set our eyes unto our God and Creator and anchor our identity to Him and Him alone. Let’s also pray that the Holy Spirit will give us the burden to pray for all peoples and let God’s love and grace abound upon them all. Let’s keep on shining for His glory. Amen!