6 Tough Prayers to Pray for Non-Believing Loved Ones

(Unsplash)

I, like many of my readers, have a number of non-believing family members and friends. I pray at least weekly for all of them and daily for several of them—but knowing how to pray isn't always easy.

Here are some prayers I think are important, but hard:

1. That God would convict me of my personal responsibility to boldly and clearly tell the good news to my family and friends. Frankly, it's often easier to pray for someone else to do the witnessing than to do it myself. I'm grateful for others who evangelize my family as well, but I don't want to shirk my own responsibility to reach them.

2. That my non-believing family and friends would see themselves as they are—as separated from God and in the devil's kingdom. (See Eph 2:1-3, Col 1:13, Acts 26:18.) The latter is a hard word regarding our own loved ones, but it's biblical teaching. The enemy has blinded them (2 Cor 4:3-4).

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

3. That they would long for real joy—which means they recognize and admit what they don't yet have. That requires they experience some sense of disappointment and joylessness before getting to that point. Few of us naturally want our loved ones to go through that kind of experience.

4. That God would do whatever it takes to draw them to Himself. That's a frightening prayer, actually, because we don't know what steps God might take. What we do know, though, is that He always does what's right. Our task sometimes is to get out of the way and trust His work, even if it brings pain to others.

5. That God would not only save them, but also use them mightily as His witnesses—which could include a call to the nations. These nations could be dangerous ones, in fact, where our newly saved loved ones might take their families (including our grandchildren) and spend the rest of their lives. Praying this way isn't easy for many of us.

6. That I would be persistently broken over lostness and patiently trusting God's timing in saving my family and friends. For the former, I too often let my burden wane, even for loved ones; for the latter, I'm seriously impatient. I need God to change me as much as He changes others.

Would you pray for me and my non-believing family and friends today?

For the original article, visit chucklawless.com.

Chuck Lawless is dean of doctoral studies and vice president of Spiritual Formation and Ministry Centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he also serves as professor of evangelism and missions. In addition, he is team leader for Theological Education Strategists for the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.


Dr. Mark Rutland's

National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)

The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!

FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.

Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.

The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.

Charisma Leader — Serving and empowering church leaders