praying for our persecutors

I was reading something a while ago, I can't remember where, that we should pray God's blessing on those people who cause us pain.
The idea was that nothing can happen to us that God doesn't allow, so when we pray for our persecutors we ought to pray that God bless them for what they have done. If they are doing what is necessary for our growth then we should ask that God bless them accordingly. If however, they are sent by the evil one, then by praying that God would bless them we are allowing God, and not us, to bring about punishment.
In either case we leave it up to God to reward in accordance with his will, and in the meantime we do not burden ourselves with anger or hate.
So daily I am trying to practice this. Often its not until after I've had a whinge and a moan that I remember to pray God's blessing on the bearer of pain, but increasingly I am able to bless and not moan at what God is allowing in my life so that I might become the person he wants me to come.
"Lord, you are the only one who knows what is truly happening. You know the beginning from the end. And so I ask that you would bless those people who I have found difficult today. Lord I pray you bless them in accordance with how what they have done has been in accordance with your will and purposes."

be still

Alan Attwood in "Stop the World, It's Time to Get Off" issues a strong challenge to stop living the rush rush lifestyle. I like his comment when he stays that the 'leisure industry is dedicated to selling toys to people who can't amuse themselves without expensive distractions.'
This article challenged me to reflect on the challenge of the bible which is "be still and know that I am God." Being still is not a natural thing to me - frankly I get bored! But the challenge of the teachings of Jesus is that it is not until we discover the joy of being still in God, that we will truly discover the tremendous joy their is to being alive.
"Lord, help me be still and know you more and more each day."
Inspired by an article in "The Big Issue" which is a independent current affairs and entertainment magazine sole in towns and cities throughout Australia by homeless, and long-term unemployed and marginalised people seeking to positively change their lives and interact wieht mainstream society. Vendors keep $2, half the cover price, as their direct income.

religion

"Religion is a matter not of learning how to think about God but of actually encountering Him." (p.17, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus)
One of my common prayers is "Lord teach me to pray." It's funny that the more I pray the more I feel like I'm just a child when it comes to knowing God. I guess its like getting into a pool as a child and the water seems so deep. But as you grow up the pool it isn't so deep, so you swim in the ocean near the shore and that feels deep. Then later on you get the courage to swim further from the shore and discover that the ocean is so much deeper than you thought.
I feel like that with Jesus. I feel like I've come to grips with knowing him, and then he reveals to me there is so much more, so much depth that I couldn't see before.
This discovering the increasing depth is part of the real joy it is in spending time with Jesus.
"Lord God, teach me to pray."