Did you ever have the distinct impression that God wanted you to pray for something or someone that you didn't want to pray for? Maybe it's someone that you really don't like, but you happen to find out that they're in a particularly bad way, and you sense that clear burden to pray for them. Or maybe it's that an opportunity to do something presents itself, something that you really don't want to do, but get the feeling that God has planned that exact thing for your next move. This is the position in which I find myself.
It's a real conundrum. Consider the first situation. If you have someone you intensely dislike or maybe even harbor some righteous anger toward, and yet find out that they need help or guidance, what are your options? As a Christian, I'm commanded to pray for my enemies, so my choices are basically three. For one, I can choose to be utterly and obviously wrong, of course. The other choices are to either pray for the welfare and betterment of this person whom I consider to be an enemy, or to quit thinking of them as an enemy and start calling them, what, friend?
On the other hand, let's assume that I do pray for this enemy, or pray for this opportunity that God knows I don't want but pray for out of a desire to submit to his will. Isn't that just an empty prayer? That is to say, if I'm praying for something I don't really want either way, is that somehow pleasing to God in its obedience? Or is it displeasing in it's superficiality?
I'll let you know when I work it all out.
I had this problem once. I prayed every night for this person I had wanted dead for years. However, after a year of prayer, something changed, I actually started caring about the person. I never told that person I forgave them but my heart was lighter just the same.
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