A Prayer For A Change Of Heart

There are many different reasons we might want a person or group of people to change their hearts. Since we know we could never change their hearts on our own, we pray to God to do so—because He can. A great example is when we preach the Gospel to someone, we pray to God to soften that person’s heart. There are also many other scenarios when we might hope for someone to have a change of heart, and we can pray that God will direct them according to His perfect will.

Heavenly Father, You are the God who works in the people’s hearts. Whether You change someone’s heart or not, let Your will be done. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

When It Comes to Salvation

As we preach the Gospel to a person or group of people, we undoubtedly shouldn’t forget to say a prayer for God to change their hearts as we pray for them. While indeed we pray for God’s empowerment to do His ministry, to say the right words when preaching the Gospel, to open doors that we need, and many other things, we should remember one other important prayer: for God to change the heart of the one to whom we preach the Gospel.

Why is this so important? Being a sinner and a follower of Christ both involve the heart. Before we find Christ, we are dead in sin; when we sin, we don’t care and even indulge in it (Ephesians 2:1-3). This is because, without God, our hearts are hardened. However, when we come to Christ, God softens our hearts, and we become new creations with new ones (2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.). After finding Christ, when we sin, we are bothered by it because we are already freed from the bondage of sin and repent (1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.). We see that the desires of our heart are now changed; we now strive to revere, love, and glorify God (Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.).

 

 

We should pray to God to help change hardened hearts because, as written in Ezekiel 36:26, it is He who turns a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. He can change a heart that is unresponsive to the Gospel into one that is tender before the Lord. Such a change of heart is not due to our preaching of the Gospel but to the work of the Holy Spirit. That means as we preach the Gospel to someone, the burden of them turning to Christ does not rest on us.

Father in heaven, I pray for the person to whom I preached the Gospel who has difficulty accepting Christ. I pray that You will soften his heart and cause it to be tender. May his heart be humble before You, and may he follow Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

When It Comes to Other Endeavors

Praying for a change of heart does not only apply when we are preaching the Gospel to someone. There are other matters in life in which we might end up praying to God for a person’s change of heart. For example, let’s say a missionary is about to go abroad to spread the Word, and his visa application has been denied. He can pray for a change of heart for the consul or embassy to approve his visa. It could also be that a man is pursuing the heart of a woman who does not reciprocate his love for her. To a certain degree, he can pray to God to cause a change of heart upon the woman. In both cases, it’s important to keep healthy expectations and understand that we should ultimately accept God’s will as the most important factor. 

There is a biblical basis for such a prayer. Proverbs 21:1 states that a king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever he will (ESV). It is a truth that applies from a greater degree to a lesser degree. If God can direct the heart of a king who has power over the nation he rules, how much more can He direct someone else? Of course, in the end, we pray from the posture of humility and submission to God, hoping for His will to be done and knowing that whatever He ordains is good (Luke 22:42; Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.).

Father, I pray for the job interview that I had yesterday. If the interviewers don’t find me fit for the job, I pray that You will give them a change of heart and give me the chance to show that I can do the job competently. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

As we pray to God for a person’s change of heart, we can rest assured that, whatever the result, God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. He works all things for the good of those who love Him. Even if the person we pray for doesn’t have a change of heart, God can still use the situation for that which is good.