1 Peter 3
Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” I Peter 3:8-12 NKJV
God listens attentively to the prayers of those who are like-minded with Him. This means being loving, compassionate, humble, and peaceful. It means choosing words carefully and having a disciplined thought life. The best way to do this is to continuously keep the truth of God’s Word in the forefront of your mind, as well as on your lips. This is especially important to remember when others treat you unfairly or even insult you. The world tends to respond to being insulted with offense and revenge. But God’s Word says differently: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2, NLT). Showing love towards someone who has hurt you, and even wanting to bless him/her is counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. It is precisely during difficult situations such as these that you have an opportunity to grow in your faith, strengthen your spiritual “muscles” and to show the world what living for Jesus looks like. Furthermore, there is a direct correlation between being at peace with others, and being at peace with your Creator. “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (Mark 11:25). While sin and disobedience damage your relationship with God, being righteous and obedient bring you into a deeper relationship with Him. The closer you are to God, the more you will think like Him, act like Him, and speak like Him. It is through a genuine, intimate relationship with your Heavenly Father that you can have confidence in your prayers because you know that He is listening and will answer. “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29). The next time someone snaps at you, insults you, or mistreats you, try having compassion on him/her instead of getting offended or angry.
Let the Holy Spirit guide you instead of your emotions or pride. He will give you the power to see through the hurtful words or actions, and allow you to clearly see the person behind them.