In Matthew 5:44 I read, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (GNT)
To think like Jesus means to be willing to forgive those who have hurt me.
Even on the cross, Jesus forgave. In Luke 23:34 he says of the people who tortured and hung him there, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (NIV).
Consider who has hurt me or who I’m holding a grudge against? What pain am I holding on to because I cannot forgive?
When I hold on to hurt, I’m only hurting myself. I need to forgive the person, not because they deserve it but because God has forgiven me, and he expects me to do the same for others. I forgive because I don’t want my pain to turn into bitterness and resentment. Being unforgiving is like drinking poison and hoping it hurts the other person.
Jesus always forgives, but he never stops with just forgiveness. He gives a radical example when he says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 GNT).
It is not enough to just forgive. God wants me to learn to respond to evil with good and bless those who have hurt me. He wants me to pray for their good.
Thinking like Jesus is the healthiest, happiest, and most healing way to live. If I have the mind of the world, I’m only going to live in the pain of past hurt. When you have the mind of Christ, I am free to forgive and bless. I’m free to move forward with my life, secure in my salvation and hope for the future.
To forgive, I must give myself to God, because only he can deliver me from my natural selfishness. I must trust the Holy Spirit to help me show love to those for whom I may not feel it.
In summary, I am to love my enemies and even pray for those who persecute me. To think like Jesus means to be willing to forgive those who have hurt me. What pain am I holding on to because I cannot forgive? When I hold on to hurt, I’m only hurting myself. I need to forgive, not because they deserve it but because God has forgiven me, and he expects me to do the same. It is not enough to just forgive. God also wants me to learn to respond to evil with good and bless those who have hurt me. To forgive, I must give myself to God, because only he can deliver me from my natural selfishness. I must trust the Holy Spirit to help me show love to those for whom I may not feel it.
Father, I thank you for this reminder today. With the Holy Spirit’s help I ask that you help me to show love for those who I don’t feel deserve it. I ask also for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I pray also for healing from the head colds that Jeanne and I are experiencing. I ask these things through your Son Jesus’ name, amen.
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