Love your enemies... For Real!!

Ouch.. God made something painfully obvious to me this weekend.

I do not LOVE my enemies!


I think I'm a pretty easy person to get along with. I don't like confrontation and I often keep my opinions to myself as to not offend or hurt others. I feel as though I can get a long with pretty much any person. I love people and I love having friends!

I didn't think I really had enemies. Don't get me wrong sometimes people hurt my feelings and sometimes I meet someone who just rubs me the wrong way. I even sometimes find myself holding a grudge agaisnt someone every once in awhile. But, I usually have no problem forgiving and getting over it.

BUT.....

What about when you have a real enemy? Someone who has tried to destroy your family, your marriage, or just you in gerneral. Someone no matter how you have tried to handle it only seems to want hurt or frustrate you. What if this person is someone who has seriously injured, killed or maybe even raped a family member. Maybe it's a person that has spread awful rumors about you. Can you really love that person?

I thought I was doing pretty good with "that" person. I thought I had forgave! But, in my mind I was secretly hoping that what they did to me would also happen to them. That they would see how it felt to be hurt so much by someone. I was not letting go and letting God! I certianly was not LOVING them!

So God told me to look up some verses and heres a few I found.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good".Romans 12:17-21

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 1 John 2:9-10.


Feed your enemy! Cloth your enemy! Pray for your enemy! Love your enemy!

With tears in my eyes I admit I have failed horribly! I am so thankful for God's grace and the fact he never gives up on me!

Share your story!

She stood in her driveway with tears in her eyes. She shared that her husband had left her and her five month old baby two months ago. I had wondered for awhile now if something had happened but thought it wasn't my place to ask.

For a second I stood there wondering. Should I share our story? Would my husband mind?

He stood beside me and suddenly it was like the holy spirit took over and I just started to speak. I shared our story.

She cried more and then said "Wow! I had no idea I would have never guessed. It seems like when I look around everyone's lives seem perfect."

After I heard those words I realized she found hope and encouragement in our story. How God was transforming our lives and our marriage. I invited her to my ladies group which I now refer to as The till death do us part group. I knew there were women there who are faithful followers of God who share their stories and encourage women.

She came, shared, cried, and we prayed!

But it hit me so hard what she had said that day in the driveway.

As christians we shouldn't be hiding behind our pasts. We should be open books so others can see what God has done for us. If not for God, I wouldn't be married anymore and I sure wouldn't have this wonderful peace and hope.

Am I really being transparent or am I just playing the good christian with everything together?

Share your story!