Troubled soul, you are not bound to feel, but you are bound to arise. God loves you whether you feel or not. You cannot love when you wish it, but you are bound to fight the hatred in you to the last. (George MacDonald)
You, God, tell me to love even my enemies, to do good to those who hate me (Luke 6:27-28). I am to pray for those who persecute me (Matthew 5:44). Dearest Lord Jesus, who saves people from their sins, please save me from my sin and change my heart to accomplish this.
At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3: 3-5).
Hate is a useless emotion that takes up too much energy. They say, hatred is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Hatred “eats [away at] you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves.” (Mitch Albom)
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9).
A person is not evil. Satan is evil. Satan causes a person to do evil. Hate what Satan can do to people, but don’t hate people. Save yourself from this curse.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14). Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:17-18).
After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church — for we are members of His body (Ephesians 5:29-30).
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them (1 John 2:9-11).
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen (1 John 4:20-21). Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (1 John 3:15).
Our willingness to (1) be generous, and (2) to forgive often reveals the depth, or limitations, of our Christianity. Once you know everything there is to know about someone, it leaves no room for hatred.
Do not take revenge, my dear 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 12:19-21).
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