A Prayer When People Misunderstand You
By: Kelly Balarie
Bible Reading: “Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” - Philippians 2:1-2
Read or Listen Below:
I shared my thoughts with a group of people. The words I spoke weren’t meant to chide anyone. They weren’t targeted at a single person. They weren’t accusatory. From my point of view, they were nuggets of wisdom. Counsel, for those, like me, who are growing in the Lord.
However, one person took personal offense.
Soon after, that person started commenting about how wrong I was. How they never expected something like this to come from me.
Baffled, I responded in love; I haven’t walked one day in this person’s shoes. I have no idea what it’s like to have journeyed their life-road. There’s compassion when people are triggered, because what lies behind their pointed gun is a hurt heart.
Pain, past experiences, self-protection, or even a holy calling that’s still in the tension of being worked out can cause an individual to react. They can hear what is not being said or see what is not even there.
Just a few minutes ago, I couldn’t see out of my reading glasses. My lens had some smudges on it. Frankly, hurts and pains of yesterday can smudge our seeing in the same way.
I had to take off my glasses and wipe off the past imprints.
Some of us may need to do the same. We may need to wipe off the ways people hurt us. We may need to clear out trauma we’ve experienced. How do we do this?
We say, “God, I forgive them from my heart.” We also say, “God, will you forgive me for being angry and bitter?” We let God remove all our hurt and sin as far as the East is from the West. We let it be forgiven and forgotten.
It's a lot easier said than done, indeed, but it is also imperative for us to dwell together in unity the way the Lord desires. In the way that brings the Lord the most joy.
“Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.” (Philippians 2:1-2)
I want to bring the Lord joy like this! Don’t you?
We can when we do our part to let go of the past and live in the present joys of encouraging, loving, sympathizing and being of one mind, despite our differences.
No two people on earth think the same, believe the same, look exactly the same—so why do we demand the same of people?
The process that God has each of us on is good. He will work life out with others as we submit to Him to work life out in us.
What might God want to help you release so you can see Him more?
Let’s Pray:
Father, give me a heart to love others as You love them. Work out in me what you desire. I thank You that you always love me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/MangoStar_Studio
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Originally published Friday, 07 March 2025.
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