Praying Over Conflict

It's hard to watch those we love endure seasons of conflict. Thankfully, we can love them well through these seasons of growth when we pray for wisdom and humility to sharpen their character and faith.

We can support our friends through seasons of conflict by echoing this prayer from Philippians 1:27 for them. Our friends need wisdom to live up to a challenge of this divine nature, and on their behalf we can ask God to give it to them freely. We can champion their spiritual growth by holding them accountable to navigating the murky waters of conflict with wisdom and humility, always remaining consistent to the grace and truth of the Gospel.

We must resist the temptation to (inadvertently) encourage apathy, gossip, or slander in conflict. Rather, in genuine sympathy we can encourage healthy and humble conduct in conflict that is God-honoring and faith-building. In friendship, we have the unique invitation to be spiritual iron to one another—sharpening our faith, our intellect, and our conduct in lasting ways that leave us better equipped to love God and love others. Let’s lean in where it’s uncomfortable and invite God to make much of His good news in our lives by helping our friends walk wisely through seasons of conflict.

TRY THIS PRAYER:

God, You are worthy of all our worship. Because of this, Your creation is worthy of our respect. Our humanness is most exposed in the ways we treat one another, and God we humbly ask for Your help to do better in seasons of conflict.

Give wisdom to ____________ (insert friend’s name) as they navigate the tender layers of compromise, honesty, and forgiveness in their circumstances. Give them the strength to invite this experience to sharpen, humble, and grow them spiritually in the most life-giving ways. Give them awareness of Your grace at work in their lives, and let it be through this grateful lens of grace that they view the conflict at hand and respond in a manner worthy of your gospel.

Grant them a Kingdom mindset as they sift through what is worldly about their situation and their role in the conversations. Bring forth fruitfulness from this experience and restore one-hundred-fold what the enemy has taken in terms of peace, friendship, and joy. Thank You for the promise that where sin increases, grace abounds all the more. Help us be good stewards of this grace in ways that champion health, wholeness, and restoration. Thank You for reminding us that your entire ministry was one of reconciliation and help us to follow in Your footsteps.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP:

Encourage a friend (or several!) by saving the graphic with the verse below and sending it as a text to whomever God brings to mind, letting them know you’re praying for them today.

A note from the author:

Thank you for using this plan! I've been praying it blessed and encouraged you in your pursuit to love your friends well through specific prayer and encouragement. If you enjoyed this 10 day experience, please consider sharing this plan online and tag me on instagram @rachelsweatt. Bless you!

Visit rachelsweatt.com for more resources on living a faith-filled life.