The test of our faith right now is not praying for Charlie’s family, though we surely must, because they are grieving and in pain. The true test is praying for the shooter.
It is easy to ask GOD to comfort the brokenhearted and to surround those who mourn with His peace. It is much harder to bow before GOD and lift up the one who caused such destruction, to ask GOD to show mercy, to pierce his heart, and to bring him to repentance.
Yet that is exactly what CHRIST taught us to do—love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and forgive as we have been forgiven.
I confess my own heart struggles with this, because everything in me cries out for justice and for vengeance. But when JESUS hung on the cross, He did not call down fire on those who crucified Him. He prayed, “FATHER, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” That is the kind of love GOD calls us to embody in the darkest of moments.
So today I am asking GOD not only to comfort Charlie’s loved ones, but also to reach into the heart of the shooter with a love so overwhelming that it breaks through hate, bitterness, and blindness. I am asking GOD to do what none of us can do—to redeem what seems unredeemable.
Because if the cross of CHRIST shows us anything, it is that GOD can turn even the deepest evil into a testimony of His grace.
This is not easy.
It may even feel impossible.
But our faith was never meant to be proven in words alone—it is shown in how we respond when our hearts are shattered. May we be found faithful, not only in grieving with those who grieve, but also in praying for the soul of the one who caused it. Only then do we reflect the heart of CHRIST, who loved us when we were unworthy and far from GOD.
The profoundly difficult call to pray for those who harm us challenges us to move beyond natural instincts of justice and vengeance. It is a call rooted deeply in Christian teachings about love and forgiveness, exemplified by Jesus’ plea on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” This prayer models a radical form of compassion and mercy that believers are encouraged to emulate, especially in moments of great tragedy. Praying for the shooter, as difficult as it may be, is an act that acknowledges the complexity of human brokenness and the powerful potential for redemption. Such prayers are not a denial of accountability but a recognition that transformation and healing start with grace and a change of heart. This approach does not minimize the pain of the victims and their families but invites a spiritual response that fosters healing on all sides. In practical terms, praying for those who cause harm can help believers find peace amid personal and collective grief. By lifting up both victims and perpetrators in prayer, one participates in a faith journey that seeks restoration rather than perpetuation of pain. It is through this lens that the heart of Christian faith is revealed—not only in seeking justice but in embodying love that conquers hate and bitterness. Moreover, the hashtag movements such as #prayforthosewhopersecuteus, #TrustJesus, #Godissovereign, and #Soldieroffaith serve as communal reminders of this faith perspective, encouraging believers to unite in prayer together. They represent how faith communities can support one another in embodying difficult spiritual truths amidst tragedy. Ultimately, this act of praying for the shooter is an expression of hope that through God’s mercy, even what seems unredeemable can be transformed. It is a call to embrace the formidable challenge of reflecting Christ’s love — the love that embraced humanity at its worst — and to remain faithful when hearts are shattered. Such faith shapes a response that honors both the deeply human experience of loss and the divine call to grace and reconciliation.
What , your faith should be why GOD is it had nothing to do with some man ,, what’s wrong with you folks don’t you know what faith is ,,