I shared this message via Facebook on Sunday, Oct. 18, but felt it was appropriate to share as a devotional this week as well.

Instead of a traditional “message,” this is a prayer that I wrote. It may be something that has meaning to you or may get you thinking in a different manner. At the very least I encourage you to take time to read it, apply it as you will and then perhaps you too could create your own personalized version that could help you focus and intensify your prayer life while also yielding everything to God’s will. Worst case, it gets you thinking about how you want to pray and ways you can pray.

“It is not a newsflash that our world is in upheaval and discord these days. What I keep witnessing is people taking sides, forming alliances, creating enemies through their words. It has become a little frustrating, and you may feel this way as well, to see somebody make a post or a tweet or even speak a word wishing ill upon another person and then follow that up with a comment that Jesus died for everybody because everybody matters. It’s frustrating because that person you don’t like matters too. And instead of taking sides and praying for this or that at random based on our feelings at the moment, maybe we should be a little more gracious and merciful in our prayers.

“Dear Lord, I pray for your guidance and your direction for all leaders in all positions. The government elected official, the fire chief, the police captain, the head of oncology at the hospital, the manager of the local landfill, the teacher in the classroom. I pray for all of those seeking to be in leadership that You will be with them. In their hearts, in their minds, in their actions and in their words. God, I pray that You intercede where harm is being done. I pray You bless those who are doing good, in whatever position they are in, whomever they are, that are following Your will. Lord help me to seek less understanding of the world and instead continue to develop more trust in You in all things. Lord help me to reflect more of You in our world, in my words and in my actions instead of reflecting more of the world in my treatment and attitude towards others.”

It is my hope that we can all pray willfully and deliberately and with minds that are open to God’s wisdom, ears that are open to His words, eyes that are able to see the blessings in the world around us, mouths that will continue to share His message of hope, peace, love and salvation and hearts that are open to His conviction and His direction.

Pray for the best for all people, not just the ones you like.

REV. BARRY VASSAR is pastor at Fitzgerald Memorial Baptist. He can be reached at fitzgeraldmemorial@gmail.com.