1 Corinthians 13:3-8 "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Matthew 5:43-45 "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, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous."
God tells us to love our enemies! By obeying God, we are freeing ourselves to experience His forgiveness and drawing closer to Him. I believe this is a vital concept to understand in healing old wounds and growing new relationships. When we pray for those who have hurt us or continue to attack us, we are putting that relationship back in God's hands. We are letting God judge and we are accepting His plan and recognizing that He is in control. By loving someone and praying for them we are not condoning or agreeing with their actions, we are simply asking God to help them come closer to Him. Though our obedience we will be blessed. Proverbs 16:7. "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him." We must worry about what we can change and that is our hearts - with God's healing and grace. As God brings healing, pray that he fills that place that was harboring heart, hatred, and pain with His joy and love.
When we understand what God says love is (1 Cor 13:3-8), we can start to grasp how He loves us and how he commands us to treat others. God does not say "tolerate", "like", "co-exist", or "avoid" your enemies- He said Love! I continually struggle with this concept myself and I have incorporated this verse in my daily prayers. I ask God to teach me to love as He loves and to show me the areas where my heart is still hard. - be careful what you ask for, it is painful at times - however God does not leave you broken. He reveals something to you and if you obey Him, let it go, and give it to Him completely, the reward is amazing. I have had to let go of some very hurtful things in my past but once I trusted God to take it from me, a huge weight came off my shoulders and I could feel the joy inside. Forgiving and healing are long processes, but God will get us through it if we trust him. We are not meant to carry the pain and hurt we keep in our hearts, God wants to heal us. Forgiveness is one of the steps in the process - first you have to know Him.
From my blog: http://batteredwarrior.typepad.com/forgiving/2008/10/what-is-love.html
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