This is a foreign concept in society today. We always love to see the person whose caused everybody so much pain get hurt. We think "Finally! They got a taste of their own medicine. They got what was coming to them". I would be lying if I told you I had never felt this way. It took me a long time to figure out how to "love my enemies". It wasn't easy and it was definitely a process. Read what the scriptures say about enemies.
Matthew 5:38-45
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Yeah you read that right. It says LOVE your enemies and PRAY for those who persecute you. When I first read this I really didn't fully understand what this looked like. I figured just tolerating that particular person, who made my skin crawl, was good enough. I wasn't technically hating them. But that wasn't what God was calling me to do. He didn't say tolerate your enemies and be polite to those who persecute you. It says love and pray for them. The thing is I can't love them, not without Jesus. God is the only one who can give me the love, that I don't have, and put it in my heart to share with them. Someone told me if I don't have love for my enemies that I should ask God to put that love in my heart for that person; so I did. And I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that if you are truly willing to forgive and love you will, with God's help learn to love them.
I remember how empowered I felt when I let everything that person had said and done to me go. I had chosen to love them no matter what. I had decided I was going to pray for them. I felt relieved. I didn't have to tolerate them any more. God had put the love in my heart that I didn't have and gave me the strength to choose love. I had decided that I was going to love my enemy. Now I'm not saying its easy. It's hard, really hard. But with God its not impossible. So today I'm challenging you to love your enemy and pray for them. You know who they are. There name came to mind as soon as read the title. No matter what they've done to you know its not impossible because with God all things are possible, even loving your enemies.
Matthew 5:38-45
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Yeah you read that right. It says LOVE your enemies and PRAY for those who persecute you. When I first read this I really didn't fully understand what this looked like. I figured just tolerating that particular person, who made my skin crawl, was good enough. I wasn't technically hating them. But that wasn't what God was calling me to do. He didn't say tolerate your enemies and be polite to those who persecute you. It says love and pray for them. The thing is I can't love them, not without Jesus. God is the only one who can give me the love, that I don't have, and put it in my heart to share with them. Someone told me if I don't have love for my enemies that I should ask God to put that love in my heart for that person; so I did. And I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that if you are truly willing to forgive and love you will, with God's help learn to love them.
I remember how empowered I felt when I let everything that person had said and done to me go. I had chosen to love them no matter what. I had decided I was going to pray for them. I felt relieved. I didn't have to tolerate them any more. God had put the love in my heart that I didn't have and gave me the strength to choose love. I had decided that I was going to love my enemy. Now I'm not saying its easy. It's hard, really hard. But with God its not impossible. So today I'm challenging you to love your enemy and pray for them. You know who they are. There name came to mind as soon as read the title. No matter what they've done to you know its not impossible because with God all things are possible, even loving your enemies.