Love Your Enemy

A while ago, I was really struggling with a very close relationship because the person was cruel to me in our interactions, from defaming my character to accusing me of things I had not done. I was in a rough place because I knew I was disobeying God by harboring resentment and ill will in my heart toward that person when God clearly commands us to love our enemies. I knew that holding on to hatred was terrible because, at its root, hatred is the desire to see that person destroyed. With feelings like these, I was not walking by the Spirit. What was I to do?

First of all, I was reminded that besides me, God also loves the person who was hurting me. In Matthew 5:45, the Apostle writes, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Therefore, if He loves them, then I must reconsider and repent of my bad feelings toward that person because everyone matters to God. In fact, Jesus taught His disciples to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. Who am I to judge someone’s worthiness?

Secondly, something a Christian speaker said really resonated with me. “Your failure to love the person who has hurt you is as sinful as what they’ve done to you!” That single statement disarmed me. It doesn’t matter what someone has done to me. I am still commanded by God to love them. Even those who are not particularly likable to others. And there are many people who work hard at being unlikable. I’m simply challenged at times by the command to love those who don’t love you in return. What a radical concept!

Thirdly, I’ve found that when I pray for the person who is treating me poorly, it softens my heart toward them and teaches me to have compassion for those who hurt others, most likely because someone may have hurt them first.

Let us Walk in His Way:

Dear Lord, please give us the courage and strength to love our enemies so that we may become more like Jesus in our hearts, minds, emotions, and actions. Help us, Lord, to see others as you see them, and to love them even when that love is not returned. To this end, we will seek the glory of your mercy in hearts that desperately need mercy. I ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

by Corinne “Kinney” deHamel

author of “Walk in His Way” for

Carry the Light Ministries