Ephesians 1:17
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better.”
TL;DR: When we pray sincerely—even for those who hurt us—we invite God to change not just their hearts, but ours. Ephesians 1:17 offers a powerful prayer that helps us move from bitterness to forgiveness, and closer to God’s peace.
There was a time in my life when bitterness consumed me.
I was going through a divorce and deep into recovery from alcoholism. It was one of the darkest, most humbling seasons of my life. My worst behaviors surfaced during that time—anger, venom, blame. I was hurting, and I made sure others felt that hurt too.
One day, my counselor gave me a challenge I didn’t want: pray for him—my ex-husband.
At the time, I wanted anything but his blessing. I was filled with rage and unforgiveness. But I had made a commitment to myself and my sobriety: I would follow the guidance I was given, even when it went against my own will.
So I began with one tiny, bitter prayer:
“Lord, bless him.”
That was it. No long speech, no self-righteous qualifiers.
I didn’t ask God to fix him or make him see things my way. I simply asked God to bless him.
And you know what happened?
The prayer changed me.
My heart began to soften. The bitterness started to loosen its grip. I experienced what can only be described as a shift—a miracle in my spirit.
Since then, I’ve held onto Ephesians 1:17 as a life-giving prayer.
When I struggle to forgive or let go of hurt, I pray this:
“Lord, fill them with Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so they may know You better.”
It’s no longer about getting even or being right. It’s about releasing others into the hands of God—and in doing so, finding freedom for myself too.
If you’re holding on to hurt today—pray.
Even if your voice shakes. Even if you have to start with the smallest sentence, just begin.
Ask God to bless them. Ask Him to reveal Himself to them.
And ask Him to help you heal too.
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