Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.  Romans 12:9-13

You know how we have those people in our lives that we just find it hard to love. Sometimes it is because our personalities clash, sometimes we are just too different, sometimes we are too much alike and sometimes we just can’t relate at all. People that maybe we would just deem hard to love.

Perhaps you have a co-worker who you don’t see eye to eye with. Perhaps it’s a neighbor who is very territorial and concerned about every little thing that you do, making sure you aren’t encroaching on their property. Maybe it’s a family member that you have had words with. When there is discord in relationships like that, it can be exhausting and sometimes these people seem just too hard to love.

But, what does God say about that? In Luke 6:32-35 God says (and I am paraphrasing here) if you love those who love you, if you do good to those who do good to you and if you lend to those whom you you expect repayment, what does that prove? We are called to love even our enemies and do good to all (But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Luke 6:35 ESV).

We tend to be prideful and reject or put distance between people that we don’t necessarily get along with or whom we don’t care for or who aren’t crazy about us either. Remember why you are, who you were (for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23) and why we are here (for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13 ESV).

When we think about putting distance between or reject those that we may not necessarily care for or want to avoid, because perhaps they aren’t our proverbial cup of tea. Remember that Jesus died for us and we didn’t treat Him the way that He deserved and we even rejected and mocked Him, yet He forgave us, (but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV), while we were still hard to love.

There are two kinds of people, and they are not the people who like us and the people who don’t. They are those who are followers of Jesus Christ and those who need to be followers of Jesus Christ. They won’t become followers of Jesus Christ and forgiven if they see unforgiveness and rejection in us.

We are called to love, everyone, (“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”Matthew 22:36-38 ESV).

Sometimes this may seem impossible to do, but NOTHING is impossible with God. (I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13). Especially, when God has called us to it, because that means we are fully equipped to accomplish it! (Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:21).

Let’s love like Jesus, supernaturally and in a way that causes people to want more of Him.

I pray that we would, through the power of the Holy Spirit who indwells us, love the way that Jesus does. I pray that BECAUSE He exhibited that incredible love toward us, while we were still sinners and undeserved of it, we would love those around us, even those we might deem hard to love. I pray that our devotion, love and gratitude, for His forgiveness shown to us, would well up in us (like the lava in a volcano) and explode the love of Christ to all those around us. Let’s be all that He has called us to be and live out the 2nd great commandment.

If you have never experienced the incredible love of Jesus and have never asked Christ to be Lord of your life, I pray that you would go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) right now and pray the prayer that is outlined there. Jesus longs for you to experience His incredible love and forgiveness. Once you have prayed that prayer, please reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know so that I can be in prayer for you and help you grow in your relationship with and knowledge of our Precious Savior – Jesus Christ.

Luv Ya!