FROM HATE TO LOVE

By Angeline M Duran Santiago

 

Love others.

This morning I am writing the thoughts that were loud in my mind as I tried to sleep last night. 

Love others.
Love your enemies.

Love.

And in my heart I say, I do have love for others, for my family, and for the Lord, and then it's like a punch to the chest when I realize how little love I truly have. I can be nice. I can be helpful. But, love, especially loving those who do wrong to you day after day, now that is one hard challenge.
The punch in the chest comes when I read that if I claim to love God who I haven't truly seen or touched, then how is it possible to love someone I can see and feel? 
Yes, Lord, please explain that one to me.
And He does.
Love is going to be a sacrifice on my part because it is easy to love a God who has forgiven you and loves  you back. But, to love someone that makes each moment miserable, it's going to take the supernatural. I just can't do it, Lord. It's hard. 
But, if I am proclaiming my allegiance to the Lord, then I will see that allowing God's love to transform me is allowing my life to be a continual sacrifice before the Lord. 
I am going to try.
It's going to take all that is within me to love.

 

Loving family, even when they've hurt and offended you, can sometimes be a little easy, because deep down inside you love them no matter what.
Then there are the enemies that show up in our lives. 
They come to taunt, to mock, to challenge our peace and joy.
It can be at work, at the mall or on the train.
Anywhere at all.
They are there like vessels of evil allowing their mouths to be instruments of hatred, their tongues and attitudes shooting venom from every angle.
Sometimes at work you have to hold on and put up with people.
We have to put up with their poor people skills, their lack of professionalism, their spoiled arrogant behavior and their selfish ways bent on hurting others through their given authority.
And through this all, God is not asking, but commanding, that I go out of my way to pray for my enemies, bless my enemies, and love, yes, love my enemies.
Lord, the truth is, I want to get up and come crashing down upon people sometimes. There's a part of me that wants to come out at them with the same words because we all know that if we want to we can be just as hurtful.
Still, God says,"No. You're going to do what is hard, not easy. You will love. You will sacrifice through doing good and giving of yourself to the persons that least deserve or expect it."

 

Lord, help me to be someone that truly radiates genuine love from your heart. Help me not to be superficial but real. I confess I lack the love you are asking me to have,so I pray and beg you to take the stony heart, the hardened heart inside of me and make it an overflowing cup of your love, your forgiveness and your presence. I am having a super hard time loving some people in my environment right now and I want to please you above all else.
It's a struggle I lay before you and I ask you to change me so that I can see them through your eyes.
Fill me with Your Spirit for where You are present, there is freedom and liberty.

Forgive me for complaining, for talking about the person and the issues, instead of surrendering it all to you. Change me, Lord so that others will believe me when they know that I serve you, that I gave my heart to you, and that I believe in You.
 In Jesus Name. Amen. 



#AngieDuran #AngelineDuran #Faith #hope #loveyourenemies #loveGodloveothers #loveGod #hate #reallove #Christian #fake #genuine #livingForGod #ChristianLove #GodisLove #Loveothers