Is it a waste to pray against your true feelings?

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Suze

Well-known member
Mar 14, 2025
511
287
63
#46
I know we are supposed to pray for our enemies and wish good upon them. And I do that. But I sometimes wonder, is it a waste of time because the Lord knows my heart. And in my heart I genuinely dont want good things for that person who steals my car. I want him to crash in that stolen vehicle.

So my question is: should I still pray for that person? This is a hypothetical btw, no one has stolen my car, just making an example.

I have been praying for evil people because the Bible tells me to do so, and as for my genuine feelings, I always put that up as "flesh vs the spirit", my flesh is fighting the spirit. But am I just praying for no reason if I genuinely dont feel love towards that person?

What do you guys say?
Ok , so I know it was just an example but let's take it for real and walk through it . Someone steals your car , what should your Christian attitude be to that ? Strictly speaking u should genuinely forgive them , that car wasn't really yours was it ? God loaned u that car . Everything u have is just loaned to u from God . Maybe the person who stole your car needed it much more than u did . Maybe God gave them your car because He knew u would forgive them . Maybe God took that car away from u for a very good reason ? Maybe , now u don't have a car your life will change in some way that will work out better for u . If someone took your car in desperation to get to the hospital to visit someone before they died and , on the way they wrapped your car and themselves around a tree , u wouldn't really b happy about that would u ? I've read your posts and know u would not rejoice in their death .
I'm sure I speak for very many people on here when I say , people have done some awful things to me .
Everyone of my life's experiences , especially the unpleasant ones , have changed me and I think for the better . I have a lot of stuff , books and DVDs and CDs by the hundreds , they have given me an enormous amount of pleasure , but it's just stuff . It's nothing to me . Any and every thing in this physical life is nothing , less than nothing . Anything I have , and u want it , u can have it . Forgive , let go and grow closer to the real treasure .
 

Blain

The Word Weaver
Aug 28, 2012
21,287
3,483
113
#47
Ok , so I know it was just an example but let's take it for real and walk through it . Someone steals your car , what should your Christian attitude be to that ? Strictly speaking u should genuinely forgive them , that car wasn't really yours was it ? God loaned u that car . Everything u have is just loaned to u from God . Maybe the person who stole your car needed it much more than u did . Maybe God gave them your car because He knew u would forgive them . Maybe God took that car away from u for a very good reason ? Maybe , now u don't have a car your life will change in some way that will work out better for u . If someone took your car in desperation to get to the hospital to visit someone before they died and , on the way they wrapped your car and themselves around a tree , u wouldn't really b happy about that would u ? I've read your posts and know u would not rejoice in their death .
I'm sure I speak for very many people on here when I say , people have done some awful things to me .
Everyone of my life's experiences , especially the unpleasant ones , have changed me and I think for the better . I have a lot of stuff , books and DVDs and CDs by the hundreds , they have given me an enormous amount of pleasure , but it's just stuff . It's nothing to me . Any and every thing in this physical life is nothing , less than nothing . Anything I have , and u want it , u can have it . Forgive , let go and grow closer to the real treasure .
Again I say you are very wise
 

Suze

Well-known member
Mar 14, 2025
511
287
63
#48
Yes , so true . I've also found that when a brother or sister wounds u , it cuts much deeper because they r your brother / sister . We expect much better if our family in Christ and a wound from one of them stings much more than if an atheist or idolater insults us . This is the true test if our live and forgiveness . It's easy to forgive those who don't know any better but , we hold our family in Christ to a much higher standard and so we should . Same thing happened to Jesus , it was not an enemy that reproached me but mine own true friend . In our congregations is where we r truly tested .