7 Ways to Pray for the Annoying Person in Your Bible Study
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We’ve all had at least one. That person who comes to your Bible study (or home group or Sunday School class) who annoys us. You’re thinking of at least one now.
Their annoyance could be due to several factors. Perhaps they have trouble in social situations. They’re too blunt, or they have bad hygiene, or their jokes aren’t funny. Sometimes the problem is us, to be honest. Others may not be bothered, but this person’s personality rubs us the wrong way.
Christianity draws the broken, the marginalized, and the desperate. A message of hope and love and peace will do that for those who have been rejected by the world. And responding to the Good News brings with it an amazing community, a belonging many have never experienced, even in their own families. While this is God’s way, the broken and desperate can also be difficult for different reasons.
At the same time, Christianity contains the religious, the “scribes and Pharisees” of the world who quickly judge and dismiss others. People who seem far from love.
Thankfully, we have a Father who invited both sons to the party — both the prodigal from far away and the hard-hearted son working in the field. So should we.
Here are seven ways to pray for the annoying person in your Bible study.
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1. Patience
Just as God has been patient with us, so we must be with others. Yet we require God’s strength and grace to be patient. Ephesians 4:2 instructs, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” We should embody Christ-like patience and humility in our interactions, especially with those who may test our patience. Instead of reacting with frustration, we are called to see the person through God’s eyes, recognizing their dignity and value as his child.
Praying for God’s patience helps us to extend grace to others. It shifts our focus from irritation to compassion, allowing us to respond in understanding. With this, we foster a space for growth, not only for the other person but for ourselves, too. God gives us these moments and people to stretch our capacity for love and kindness.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come asking for your patience. Your Word calls us to be gentle, patient, and humble, bearing with others in love. We confess we struggle with irritation toward others. Help us to see them through your eyes, as your beloved child, as we are.
Strengthen us with your Spirit so we can act with grace. Teach us to bear with one another as you have borne with us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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2. Humility
Along with patience, we must pray for humility. Sometimes we get irritated with others from a place of pride, thinking ourselves better than them. Pride is dangerous, however, and we must examine our hearts in prayer to check our hubris. Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” We must set aside our pride and focus on others with a servant’s heart, recognizing their dignity before God. In moments of frustration, we can feel superior to justify our annoyance, but God calls us to humility, remembering we all have weaknesses.
Praying for humility empowers us to show Christ’s love, acknowledging we too need grace in our interactions. It helps us to stop focusing on the ways the person irritates us and instead changes our perspective to how we can serve and love them better. This change also serves as an example to others who may also feel annoyed, too.
Heavenly Father,
We ask for your humble heart. The Scripture reminds us to do nothing out of selfish ambition but to value others above ourselves. We confess we struggle with pride when dealing with others. Help us to see our own faults and extend the same grace to them you have shown us. Let our actions be guided by love and humility.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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3. Wisdom
When dealing in a group setting, some actions require appropriate responses beyond enduring another person. In fact, it may be loving to respond in correction if someone crosses boundaries. In this, we should seek the wisdom of God who seeks to love and care for everyone. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5). When we ask for wisdom, God doesn’t discriminate, he will give his divine insight, especially in difficult situations. When someone irritates or frustrates us, we shouldn’t trust our natural reactions but seek God’s wisdom to approach people with grace and discernment.
Praying for wisdom helps us move beyond the immediate annoyance to understand the root issues. It opens our hearts to see things from the other person’s perspective and see how God works in their life, and ours, through this challenge. Wisdom guides us to know when to stay silent, when to speak up, how to respond with love even if difficult.
Dear Abba,
We come to you and ask for wisdom to deal with people. The Bible promises you give wisdom generously to all who ask, and we need your guidance in this situation, as we do with everything. Help us to respond with love and grace rather than frustration. Grant us the discernment to know how to best encourage and support them.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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4. Compassion
God is love, and as his followers, our every motive must also come from love. Seeking God’s heart for compassion becomes a powerful way to invite God’s love into the relationship. 1 Peter 3:8 tells us to “be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” Compassion doesn’t mean feeling sorry for someone but actively seeking to understand their perspective and wanting to help them, even when it’s difficult.
When we get irritated, we naturally want to distance ourselves from people, spend less time with them or not be vulnerable with them. However, praying for compassion softens our hearts, helping us see the person from an eternal perspective. Everyone has their struggles, and what we perceive as annoying behavior may come from personal pain or struggles we don’t know about yet. Asking God to fill us with his compassion, we can respond with patience and grace, acting to truly help them.
Heavenly Father,
We humbly pray for you give us a compassionate heart toward the people who annoy us. Your Word calls us to be sympathetic and humble, loving others as you have loved us. Help us to see past our irritations and recognize their challenges. Fill us with your compassion so we can act with understanding and kindness. Let your love flow through us.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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5. Forgiveness
While some actions may simply be annoying, other times people truly wound or offend us. As with God’s grace to us, we’ve been called to forgive others. Colossians 3:13 says, “Bear with one another and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” When someone hurts us, it’s easy to hold onto unforgiveness and let an offense twist our perspective. However, unforgiveness damages relationships and hinders spiritual growth.
First, it helps to remember how God forgave us when we didn’t deserve it. Then, we pray to forgive others. This softens our hearts and lets us release any grudges or resentment to others. God forgives to pave the way for reconciliation and intimacy with him. As we ask God for his strength to forgive, we invite his healing and unity into the relationship. Forgiveness is rarely easy, but it is necessary for our own personal health (spiritual, emotional, physical) and for fostering a unified, Christ-honoring group studying his Word together.
Dear Heavenly Father,
We approach you with a heart that needs to forgive. Your Scripture calls us to forgive as you have forgiven us. We confess we’ve held onto resentment and bitterness towards others, and we ask your assistance to release it to you. Give us the strength to forgive fully, just like you forgave us, to restore peace and unity.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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6. Healing
Jesus looked at the hurting, the broken, the sick, and he had compassion. His compassion led him to heal others, restoring them to health. When we see others through God’s compassion, we seek for ways to heal them, too. “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” Here, in Jeremiah 17:14, the prophet reminds us God is the ultimate healer, both physically and spiritually, and he wants to bring healing in every area.
When someone becomes annoying, it can be a sign they are dealing with unhealed wounds, struggles, or burdens that affect how they interact with others. Praying for their healing, we can transform the focus from their outward actions to their inner well-being, which will have outward results. Asking God to heal their heart, mind, or spirit opens the door for change and growth, for both them and us.
Heavenly Father,
Lord, we come to you and ask for healing for others. You alone are the healer, and we pray you touch their mind, heart, and spirit in whatever way they struggle. Heal any wounds or burdens they carry, and bring peace to them. Help me to respond to them with compassion and seek their healing, as well, trusting you work in their life.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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7. Unity in the Group
God, within himself, is three in one. As his Body, he has unified us in the Spirit. When we manifest this unity in his name, God works powerfully. An annoying person has the potential to disrupt this unity, but God can help us overcome this through compassion, seeing us all as one family with God as Father. Ephesians 4:3 calls us to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Unity doesn’t just happen. It requires intentional prayer and effort. This brings incredible blessing. “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). Unity isn’t about avoiding conflict but creating an environment where the Spirit reigns and moves freely. We act in unity under his loving Lordship.
It's tempting to focus on discord when dealing with a frustrating person. Through praying for unity, we invite God to work in every member, including us, to create the right atmosphere of love, acceptance, and understanding. Unity reflects God’s kingdom, the unity and diversity we all long for.
Dear Abba,
We ask for unity in our Bible study. Help us to make every effort to keep the bond of peace as we grow together in faith. Soften our hearts to one another, especially those difficult to deal with, and remove any tension that might disrupt our group’s harmony. May we honor you through our love to our brothers and sisters.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
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