Old Animosties Wednesday Prayer

Wednesday: Luke 23 34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

I held bitterness tight against an offender. They deserved it even though they didn’t know I was bitter against them. They had hurt a child. I knew I had good justification for being bitter against them, for Jesus even said something about a millstone around their neck. I thought that sounded like a good idea, until the Lord gave me a vision of the offender being offended himself as a child. The hurter was being hurt. My bitterness turned to compassion. Not permission or a free pass for what they did, but grief over how broken we are. Generation passing broken selfish sinfulness on to generation. Today I pray for the wounded wounders. Those who hurt others out of their own hurt.

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Father, forgive them for they do only what they know. Father, break the cycle of wounding through inviting the wounded to find rest in Your Son’s wounds, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Special Focus: removal of animosities held against those who have offended others.