Best Revenge is Your Prayer

So y’all know the song “Formation” by Beyonce. It’s a song of female empowerment and not letting the haters get you down. I’ve listened to this song many times since it was first released because I’ve had times when the voices of naysayers seemed to echo in my head for days on end. And as Beyonce said, the best way to get back at those people is to be unbothered and successful. Today I want to talk about what Jesus says we should do to “get back” at the haters because y’all—Jesus had way TOO much experience with haters and naysayers.

Let’s start by reading at Matthew 5:43. It says,

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Ok, that was a lot. Jesus makes references to tax collectors and pagans, which would have helped the people listening get his point better, but today just know he’s talking about people who his followers would have considered evil and incapable of doing the right thing.

Anyway, what’s so important here, Dom?

Well, Jesus is calling on us to love our enemies, naysayers, and haters.

WHAT?!? Why do they deserve that? What does loving my enemies even look like? Jesus is asking too much.

Think of it like this—Christ isn’t asking “too much”, but he is asking you to do something challenging and extraordinary. This is Christian life summed up. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

I’ll give you a personal example. A few weeks ago, I had an encounter with someone from high school. He had made many black students uncomfortable with his racist rhetoric in the past and in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, seemed to have grown from his racism. I was very wrong. After having a cruel, racially charged conversation with him, I had to block him on social media. It was deeply saddening and he attempted to make me feel small by saying any and everything that could be hurtful. For days after, I remember in my prayer time asking God why that conversation went so badly and why that man had that much hate in his heart for a group of people that looked different from him. Ladies, something dramatic happened. I felt God tell me that this man was hurting deeply.

My whole perspective changed and I saw our encounter for what it really was—a very insecure man lashing out. The vicious words he said to me were therefore meaningless, just a product of his own problems. It had nothing to do with me. And before God let me go, he asked me to pray for him.

At first, I was like “HUH? God, he’s a horrible person. No thanks!” and God reminded me that people who are hurting need prayer, so I got on my knees and prayed for his wellbeing, his healing, and for kindness to enter his heart. I’m making it seem so easy here, but it was very difficult. Tears were shed, if I’m being honest. Praying for your enemies is such a humbling experience. It allows you to see the worst people for who they are—just people, flawed people, but at the end of the day, humans like me and you. The experience also reminds you that people’s problems with you are never really about you. Plus, the best aspect of prayer is being set free, knowing it’s no longer your problem to fix.. It’s saying, “God I don’t know what’s going to happen to him, but I’m giving it up to you.” I slept peacefully knowing I had done all I could do.

So let’s do an exercise. Right now, that person who has been in your mind as you’ve read this post—yeah them!—bow your head and ask God to grant them good health, success, and healing.

Trust me. Take a minute.

Now, don’t you feel better? If not, that’s ok because it takes time. Maybe you need healing too. Pray for that as well. I promise God will reward you for what you just did. It will come when you least expect it!

Now go listen to some Beyonce and feel empowered because the best revenge is your prayer!

If you need a longer, guided prayer for your enemies, use this prayer. It brought a lot of healing to my life.

I love you sister! God’s got you and He’s concerned about everything that concerns you. Trust.