Hard To Love
Author: Pat Aman<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Luke 6:32 (NCV) If you love only the people who love you, what praise
should you get? Even sinners love the people who love them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Love, ah\u2026 it’s easy for us to love each other. We are brothers and
sisters in Christ. It’s easy to love members of your family, of your
church, and it’s easy to love friends. But how about the hard-to-love?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What about the person that has wronged you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The person who has talked bad
about you, spread gossip, rumors?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The person that did you wrong in a
business deal, at school or at a social function?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How about that person you truly feel you can not love anymore, because of
the hatred they have shown to you? We all have them, don’t we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or am I the only one?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jesus is saying, “Hey Christians, even the pagans love those who love
them. How are you going to show MY Love?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notice how the love of Christ
turns the “world’s” value system upside-down. The world says, “hate your enemies;” Jesus says love your enemies. But how do we do it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I remember one time someone ask my daddy, “hey do you like me?” His
answer was, “as a human man I do not like your ways, but as a child of
God, and my brother in Christ, I love you.” WOW!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now as the sentence above states, Jesus says love your enemies. But how do we do it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ready for the answer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hang on to your hats!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pray. Yes, prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simple answer yes, but a powerful solution. Pray for that person who has wronged you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now don’t go and pray like I used to pray, “Lord get back at that person. Lord, make them pay for what they did to me, or Lord, give me a chance to blow him out!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You really don’t think God wants us to pray to change God, do you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prayer doesn’t change God; it changes us. In my opinion, God uses prayer for two reasons. One — to allow us to participate in His plan and two — to
change us. Pray fervently and earnestly for someone that is hard for you
to love, and God will change your heart toward that person. God will show
you what He Himself sees in that person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How will the world know us Christ-Followers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They will know us by our love that flows from our love of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
John 13:34-35 (NCV) I give you a new command: Love each other. You must
love each other as I have loved you. All people will know that you are my
followers if you love each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tough stuff, but we need to do it, folks and we can do it armed with His love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think I will add a prayer to this devotional to help you and me start to realize until we forgive others we continually break Father God\u2019s Words to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Matthew 5: 23
\u201cTherefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ephesians 4:32
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Colossians 3:13
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Father God we praise you and thank you for all you do for us. Father God , help us to love the hard to love; help us to see them through the perfect eyes
of Jesus. Lord, forgive us for not loving others as You command us to do.
Forgive us for falling short of Your mark. Restore us Father God, fill us up
with Your Spirit and Your love, so that through us Your love will flow to
others. In Jesus precious name, Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Devotion Written By: Pastor Pat Aman Book \u00a9 1996\/2022 \u201cCoffee With Pat Daily Devotionals\u201d \u201cCoffee With A Little Spice Of Life\u201d and Westbow Press a division of
\u00a9 Thomas Nelson and Library of Congress Control Number: 2018910976\u2026\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Coffee With Pat Ministries<\/a><\/blockquote>