Praying the Scriptures: Prayers for Relationships

If you’re like me, you’ve never given much thought to praying the Scriptures over your relationships.

Whether it’s an easy relationship, where the conversation flows, honest and filter-free, warmth abounds, and conflicts are few…

or whether it’s a hard relationship, where personalities clash, common ground is minimal, and hurt feelings are plentiful…

relationships are gifts.

The relationships that challenge us refine us. They’re tools in the hand of our loving God, who uses them to stretch us and shape us and mold us into the image of His Son.

So that hard relationship with that particular person…

(the one whose face just appeared in your mind’s eye)…

will you stop with me now and thank God for her, and for what God wants to teach you through her?

And while we’re at it, let’s lift to Him these prayers for relationships.

Prayers for Relationships

1.)Ask for the Lord’s help in putting all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander away from you, along with all malice.

Pray that He would give you a kind and tender heart that is willing to forgive in the same way you’ve been forgiven by God (Ephesians 4:31-32).

2.)Acknowledge to God that good sense will make you slow to anger, and it is your glory to overlook an offense (Proverbs 19:11).

Pray that God would help you not be easily offended by the words, actions, or attitudes of others.

3.)Pray that God would help you handle conflicts biblically, having the courage to approach the other person one-on-one before seeking the intervention of others (Matthew 18:15-17).

4.)Ask that God’s grace would equip you to do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but to humbly count others more significant than yourself. Pray that He would help you look out for the interests of others and not just your own.

Beg Him for the humility that Christ exemplified when He emptied Himself of all rights and privileges, and took on the form of a servant (Philippians 2:3-7). Ask Him to show you specific ways to serve in the midst of a hard relationship.

5.)Confess to the Lord any hatred in your heart, affirming the truth that one who does not love others cannot love God. Pray that God would help you love others the way He loves them, and the way He has loved you even when you’re unlovable (I John 4:20-21).

Acknowledge to God that love is not simply the absence of hatred, but is a choice to act for the benefit of others. Ask the Lord what loving gesture He would have you to show.

6.)Commit to the Lord that you won’t repay evil for evil, but will do what is honorable in the sight of all. Pray that as far as it depends on you, you will live peaceably with all.

Share with God that you trust Him to take care of any vengeance that is due (Romans 12:17-19).

7.)Acknowledge to the Lord that in the worst of times, He will fight for you, and you have only to be silent (Exodus 14:14).

8.)Pray that you would be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, understanding that the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God (James 1:19-20).

9.)Ask for the grace to bear patiently with other people and forgive them as you’ve been forgiven (Colossians 3:13).

10.)Acknowledge the truth that a soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1). Pray that God would give you a gentle spirit evidenced by soft replies.

Dear Heavenly Father, You know how much I struggle with certain relationships.

I forget to grant grace as lavishly as I’ve received it. I forget to treat others the way I want to be treated. I’m quick to assume the worst, and slow to give others the benefit of the doubt.

Please forgive me, Lord, and help me to see other people through Your eyes.

I can’t change anyone, but You can change me, and I ask You to keep molding me into Your image.

It’s in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, that I pray. Amen.

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