A Faith That Works When Life Doesn’t: Part 5Minta

Positive Prayer Produces Strong Relationships

Paul didn’t just pray for people in his life; he prayed for them with joy!

There are probably things you’d like to change about other people. Instead of changing yourself, you want them to change. But you can’t change them!

You can, however, pray and let God do his work in others.

Positive praying is more effective than positive thinking. All the positive thinking in the world isn’t going to change your spouse, child, friend, or situation. Positive thinking can change you, but it won’t change somebody else. But positive prayer can make a difference in someone else.

What’s the quickest way to change a bad relationship to a good one? Start praying for the other person! It will change you, and it can change the other person, too.

Paul even told us how to pray for others: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 NIV).

From these verses, we can learn to pray for the people in our lives in four ways:

Pray that they will grow in love: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”

Pray that they will make wise choices: “So that you may be able to discern what is best.”

Pray that they will live with integrity: “And may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.”

Pray that they will become like Jesus: “Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

Pray this for yourself and anyone else in your life, and watch how God turns around relationships that seem hopeless or need reviving.

Talk It Over

• Think of a strained relationship in your life—how can you pray the four things discussed in today’s devotional?
• How does positive prayer change you and not just the person for whom you are praying?
• Take a moment and read Galatians 5:22-23. How are you seeing more of this “fruit” in your life as you follow Jesus?

This devotional © 2021 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.