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5 Prayers for Friends and Family Who Are Hard to Love

Feb 16, 2026
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Sometimes friends and members of our families can be hard to love, or even to like. As Christians, we know that the Bible teaches us to exhibit love for a broad range of people — our neighbors (Matthew 22:39), other believers (John 13:34), and even our enemies (Matthew 5:44). Our friends and family are included within those categories. But often, those closest to us are the hardest to love.

Difficult situations, differences in opinion, personality clashes and contrasts in the way we communicate are just some of the things that can lead to conflicting emotions within ourselves. We know we should be kind, patient, respectful, non-judgmental, forgiving and more — all of which are an expression of love. Instead, we find ourselves frustrated, annoyed and angry, resentful, critical, unforgiving.

So, how do we love those of our friends and family who are hard to love? We can begin with prayer: https://www.crosswalk.com/family/singles/5-prayers-for-friends-and-family-who-are-hard-to-love.html

Originally published March 02, 2023.


Rachel BrittonRachel Britton is a British-born award-winning author and speaker. Her passion is to help others find comfort and confidence in their daily conversation with God. Her latest book, Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God released with Our Daily Bread Publishing. She is the creator of the Amazon Alexa skill: “Alexa, say a prayer,” which offers a simple way for thousands to connect with God each day. Rachel is married with three adult children spread over too many time zones. Connect with Rachel on her blog rachelbritton.com and on Facebook and Instagram.

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