Do you really love those who have hurt you?

First off I have some business to take care of and then my post for the day. First off I have felt the call to open my blog back to the public and allow it to be found through browser searches and through taking off all blocks from certain computers. I really feel I can't share Christ just by inviting a select few of my friends to read my thoughts...

Now for my thoughts for the day.

Do you really love? Love is an action verb not a passive verb. Think about this before you answer my question. Think about your least favorite person or about someone who has really done you wrong in some way or hurt you or your children. I have people in all those areas so I am participating and actually was awake all night long thinking this through. When God lays something on my heart, He takes my sleep from me because He knows that is the best time to reach me. Throughout the day I am so busy sometimes I am hard to get hold of and I am ashamed of this and tired because of it!!

Anyhow... Think of this/these people. Does your nose turn up in disgust from the hurt they caused? I am going to be bold here and say that is not love! I will tell you that people in all of these areas used to make me turn my nose up when I said their name or pictured their faces. That is not love. I can honestly say this is not the case anymore. I really don't take any credit for my shifted feelings I just must tell you that God has answered my prayers (well still working on the one that pertains to the woman who physically (to say the least) hurt my baby, but I am almost to the point where I can smile when I think of her... Prayers for me here please!!!)If you cannot smile when you think of someone (maybe frown at the hurt for we are to hate sin) and actually love the person, I will pray for you. I know no one will share probably, but I will pray for anyone who reads this that they will feel God's love and in turn reciprocate it to all of God's people.

This being said... If you love someone can you love them from a distance and never really interact with them. You know stay safe from the hurt they may cause you like they did in the past? I will be bold here again and offer a big fat NO as my answer. Here is my thought process.

God is love. Everything about God is love right? In His love for you do you want Him to just love you from a distance and never interact with you because you might do something against Him again? Does that make sense to you? I'll restate it in a more direct way. God never leaves your side. He never turns away from you. We may turn away from Him, but He never leaves us no matter what we do to Him. He is always there ready to forgive and is calling us home continuously. What if God got mad and overly hurt at some egregious sin we commit against Him and then left us for good. (Ummm, it hasn't happened yet and look at all mankind has done to ruin His creation. I don't think it will ever happen. He promises us that He will not and God is unable to break a promise.) I can't fathom my life if God did that to me. Now...

Aren't we supposed to share this love-- God's love, with others? Are we allowed to only select a few people to share this? No. Should we select a few people who have committed egregious sins against us to hold in contempt and not share TRUE love?

What is true love? 1 Corinthians 13 tells us what it is. I know you have probably read it thousands of times, but reread it and think about that person who has caused so much pain.


1 Corintians 13 1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Do you truly love this/these person(s)? Love always trusts no matter what the person has done to you in the past! Love is not self seeking-- then would it seek to save itself from future hurt! Love always perseveres-- you know keeps trying no matter the outcome and never gives up! Love is not easily angered by those who hurt us! Love is patient even with less than sorry sinners! Love does not keep record of wrongs and can't remind the person of the hurt they caused or remind itself of the hurt it felt! Love always hopes-- maybe in this person changing and/or being changed by Christ through you love!

I want to add one more thing. Verse 11-12 says: When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Spiritually speaking, man-like love is what God is what God desires from us... It is what He is. Our childish thinking and reasoning and shall I add rationalizing on how we can love this/these person(s) from a distance to keep ourselves safe is not the kind of love God wants from us. He says to put this kind of thinking away and think like a grown-up, in essence.

I really think God is using this to help me truly love my enemies. I am blessed to really not have many. But I will tell you through this post, I am able to truly love the person I referred to earlier. God is amazing when you pray for things and your motives are to bring Him glory; He is not going to say, "No". He gives me the desires of my heart. He has given me the desire for reconciliation. This is not from me, He gave it to me. Now He has given me a lesson in how to reconcile. I have to honestly and actively love this person!