Hatred To Those Who Hurt You

Good morning, church family! I hope you're all feeling blessed today. Let me start with a little humor to lighten your hearts.

A man returned home from church one Sunday and his wife asked, "How was the sermon?" The man, still angry from the sermon, replied, "The pastor had the audacity to preach about forgiving our enemies!" His wife, slightly taken aback, asked, "Well, what did he say?" The man grumbled, "I don't remember. I was too busy keeping a list of people I need to avoid!"

I think we all can relate to that man in some way. It's easier to avoid those who hurt us than it is to forgive them. However, that's not the lesson Christ taught us. Let us go back to the Bible, to the book of Matthew, Chapter 5, Verses 43-44: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

It's a tough commandment to follow, isn't it? But the Lord calls us to replace hatred with love, even for those who hurt us. The story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50 demonstrates this beautifully. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, wrongly accused, and spent years in prison. But when he had the power to exact revenge, he chose forgiveness and love instead. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Isn't it remarkable that Joseph was able to see God's hand even in the darkest circumstances of his life? That's the kind of faith and love we need to aspire to. Instead of holding onto hatred, we're asked to let go and trust in God's plan. It's not easy, but it's what we're called to do as followers of Christ.

Hatred corrodes the vessel it's carried in. It harms us more than the ones we direct it towards. Instead of nursing grudges, let's nurse kindness and forgiveness. In Ephesians 4:31-32, Paul reminds us, "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

So, I encourage you to do some soul searching today. If there's hatred in your heart for someone who has wronged you, pray about it. Ask God to help you release that hatred and replace it with love and forgiveness. Remember, our God is a God of second chances, and He has forgiven us of much. So, who are we not to extend the same grace to others?

Let's pray: "Lord, we need your strength to forgive and love those who have hurt us. We ask that you remove any hatred from our hearts and fill it with love instead. We want to be vessels of Your love, not carriers of hatred. Help us to see others through Your eyes of love and forgiveness. In Jesus' name, Amen."

May God guide you and give you the grace to love even when it's hard. Thank you for being here, and God bless you all!