December 3, 2021 -‭‭ Ephesians‬ ‭5:20‬

“Always give thanks to Father God for every person he brings into your life in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20 TPT

Lord, we thank you for the people that you bring into our lives. I can think of so very many people over the years that have been a huge blessing in my life. I can think of cases where you brought some of them along at just the right time for the season I was walking through. You knew I would need them. I think of friends that have walked alongside me for many years. They have faced the ups and downs with me. Lord, I am so grateful for the amazing friends that I have all over the world. Thank you for bringing them into my life.

Lord, we also thank you for the people that you put into our lives that we can bless. Those that we have led to know you or helped to deepen their walk with you. Those that soak up the insights and love that you have given us to pour into them. Thank you for the blessing that they are to us. Thank you for the opportunity to give to others what you have freely given to us.

Lord, I thank you that you have a purpose in everything, even the hard things. I can think of people who have been in my life that have challenged me, and not always in the “good” way. There have been ones that have constantly pushed me forward, even when I didn’t want to go. There have been those who you used to “file” me down and rub off the rough edges. Definitely not an easy process. There have been those who taught me a lot of patience and taught me to love when I felt like doing the opposite. There have been those who have taught me how to walk out deep forgiveness. These types of people are definitely not as easy as the first bunch but help us learn to thank you for these people and these situations as well.

Lord, help us recognize the people you put in our lives that we need to allow in and learn from, even when all our flesh wants is to push them away. Help us to see these people through your eyes. Give us your heart for them and teach us to love them like you do. Show us how to be honoring to them and never tear them down. Help us to learn the lessons we need to learn quickly so we don’t have to be put in the same situation again and again until we learn. Help us learn to allow you to file off the rough edges and to sharpen the areas that need to be sharpened. We don’t want to give up before those things can happen. When we don’t handle situations the way you would have liked, help us to gain the wisdom to do better the next time. Also, if needed, help us be quick to ask forgiveness and mend things the best we can. Grow us in learning to love people the way you do, even those not easy to love. Teach us to put loving others over our own comfort. We thank you that you love us even when we don’t make it easy for you.

In Jesus name, amen.