Loving God and loving people are our two greatest callings in life. Doing relationships well is not always easy. We need to pray for these 4 attitudes to be guiding principles on how we do relationships and life. Paul describes these 4 to us in Col 3:1-17:
1. Set Anchor (vss. 1,2) — He says to set our hearts and minds on things above. Anchoring our hearts and minds in Jesus and praying that we live like Him and love like Him is vital. Pray for His love to flow in you and through you toward others.
2. Remove Toxins (vss. 5,8) — Getting rid of things that poison our hearts and relationships like anger, rage, and hurtful language is a must. Pray for God to purify your heart and mind of these things.
3. Choose Virtue (vss. 12,13) — Choosing to live and relate in a virtuous way is being like Christ. Praying for compassion and kindness and gentleness to be seen in us and felt by those around us is a primary prayer to pray if we want strong relationships.
4. Practice Peace (vs. 15) — Pray that you become a peacemaker and a bridge builder. It is not always natural, but it is what we have been called to be and do.
These four attitudes and corresponding prayers will build strong relationships with those around you, and that’s something we can all benefit from!