Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

Ephesians 4:2-3

Dear God, the New Testament is full of admonitions and even prayers about unity. I told some people recently that Satan has on play he’s been using since the beginning of time. From Adam and Eve, to wars, to church splits, to parents and children, his Plan A is to cause divisions between us, and he very rarely needs a Plan B because Plan A is so effective.

I suppose the thing about us that makes divisions so prevalent is pride. We all have this great sense of needing to be right or look good to others, not being able to reveal our weaknesses. When I try to look at any relationships I have right now that are strained or divided, the common denominator is that at least one person in the relationship (but usually, at least to some extent, both) has staked out a position about either their rights or protecting something in their life that needs to be turned loose but they won’t. We make Satan’s work easy.

Father, help me to legitimately examine my own life and relationships with others. Help me to recognize and repent of my own sin. Help me to make amends and help me to bring you glory in the process. And for those I love who might need to do the same thing, I ask that you please guide them and help any healing that happens between us to bring you glory.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen