“Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Heb. 12:15); “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Eph. 4:31-32)
Heavenly Father, we are your in-Christ, cherished daughters and sons. We’re also your Spirit-convicted children. In a culture of hair-trigger faultfinding, quick-to-take-offense sensitivity, grudge-nursing snarkiness, you call us to be different.
Grant us fresh grace, thicker skin, and bigger hearts. You’ve called us to be the firstfruits of your Kingdom of grace and peace, not a religious version of the world around us. In any conflict (among friends, in marriage, on boards, at work) we can “play to win,” or position ourselves to serve.
Using “Gospel-Round Up,” may we spray-and-kill every root of resentment, bitterness, and spite growing in the garden of our hearts. May we swim in the ocean of your grace more often than we wallow in pigsty of our gripes; and abide in Jesus’ love longer than we linger in the toxins of our anger.
May we build more listening-bridges, and throw fewer diatribe-grenades. Father—all the time and everywhere, you are writing stories of redemption, with the ink of the Gospel and stylus of your sovereignty. It’s what history is all about. Rescue us when we forget. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.
