How do you start loving your enemie?

[Godsangel89]

It doesnt naturally happen, I feel like its impossible to love someone who abuse you for a long time. We are just little humans we have feelings we are not robots. God wants us to bless are enemies and love them, if i pray to god to bless my enemies and love them i will be lying, I dont like pretending to love someone. I just can't . Animals dont even love their abusers

 

[Godsangel89]

It doesnt naturally happen, I feel like its impossible to love someone who abuse you for a long time. We are just little humans we have feelings we are not robots. God wants us to bless are enemies and love them, if i pray to god to bless my enemies and love them i will be lying, I dont like pretending to love someone. I just can't . Animals dont even love their abusers

Sorry for bad grammar

 

[Dave G.]

Well Gods love is not like our love, the prayer for them to overcome is a form of love in itself. Don't beat yourself up over it. God even provides the strength for the prayer and you're free to tell God you really don't understand. But the love God speaks of is not fuzzy puppy love or even a feeling. It's an action. Prayer, forgiving etc.........

 

[RaymondG]

It doesnt naturally happen, I feel like its impossible to love someone who abuse you for a long time. We are just little humans we have feelings we are not robots. God wants us to bless are enemies and love them, if i pray to god to bless my enemies and love them i will be lying, I dont like pretending to love someone. I just can't

Loving your enemies is something that happens when the Love of God is in you. It is not something you have to worry about trying to do yourself. It happens on its own.

Animals dont even love their abusers

Animals do continue to love their abusers.....they just become afraid of them as well.

IT is sort of like life....some of us hurt ourselves and cut ourselve on purpose.....let life continues to heal our bodies no matter how many times we harm ourselves and no matter the reason..

 

[AK1982]

Some actions/reactions/responses required of us by God appears incomprehensible, impossible, illogical, out of scope and unreasonable at times. They indeed are impossible when attempted in the strength and capability of the flesh alone.

Certain commandments require divine intervention/help for us to achieve. When we are wholeheartedly willing to obey his commandments, believe it’s doability “through HIM who strengthens” and have a heart to surrender to His corrections, we will get there. Its hard time taking process of surrender and obedience. But sure we will get there.!!

Reasonability and possibility of some commandments are beyond us to comprehend and very higher than us. Only God can lead us there.

How wonderfully David prayed in Psalms 61 - “lead me to the rock that is higher than I”

 

[Godsangel89]

Loving your enemies is something that happens when the Love of God is in you. It is not something you have to worry about trying to do yourself. It happens on its own.



Animals do continue to love their abusers.....they just become afraid of them as well.

IT is sort of like life....some of us hurt ourselves and cut ourselve on purpose.....let life continues to heal our bodies no matter how many times we harm ourselves and no matter the reason..

God telling us to bless are enemies feel like he condone the abuse and wants to bless them for it.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Hating can ruin your health. One of the reasons Jesus says not to hate is because he knows how bad it is for you.

The Destructive Power of Hate | Everyday Health

 

[RaymondG]

God telling us to bless are enemies feel like he condone the abuse and wants to bless them for it.

You bless them, and everyone else, so that you will be blessed, not them. They will reap what they sow....not matter how much you bless them......

You will reap what you sow as well......God is tell you to always sow seeds of blessings, so that you will reap the same......:blessings.

 

[paul1149]

God telling us to bless are enemies feel like he condone the abuse and wants to bless them for it.

It's important to understand that forgiveness does not condone evil; ever. If there is repentance then perhaps trust can be regained. Relationship is built on trust. If there is no repentance then there is no trust and no relationship.

Jesus chastised the three towns in north Galilee, and thereafter did no works in them. He wrote those towns off. When He subsequently healed a blind man in one of them, He first took him out of the town. Later He would forgive everyone from the Cross, but that doesn't mean everyone will benefit from it; only those who repent and accept His offer of forgiveness will.

You can love people from an appropriate distance. God will not ask you to suffer abuse unless there is a distinct greater good to be achieved by it, as at the Cross.

 

[Dave L]

It's easy to love those you love. But find someone you hate and treat them with love. And then love reaches its highest state. I treat lovingly those I hate most. And God is glorified.

 

[Arc F1]

It doesnt naturally happen, I feel like its impossible to love someone who abuse you for a long time. We are just little humans we have feelings we are not robots. God wants us to bless are enemies and love them, if i pray to god to bless my enemies and love them i will be lying, I dont like pretending to love someone. I just can't . Animals dont even love their abusers

This is my biggest struggle. I would appreciate any help in overcoming this.

 

[Ophiolite]

It doesnt naturally happen, I feel like its impossible to love someone who abuse you for a long time. We are just little humans we have feelings we are not robots. God wants us to bless are enemies and love them, if i pray to god to bless my enemies and love them i will be lying, I dont like pretending to love someone. I just can't . Animals dont even love their abusers

Please note, I am not a Christian, so you may wish to ignore my comments. However, you have posted this in the section open to all, so I offer these thoughts.

Ask yourself, why is someone your enemy? What event, or events led you to become enemies? Was is one or more of their actions, and if so, why did they carry out those actions? Might there have been a justification, for them, you are unware of? Is it possible that one of your actions generated a hostile reaction from them?

Put another way, "walk a mile in their shoes", in your imagination. Envisage what may have led them - and you - to this animosity. This may help you to better understand them and with understanding can come acceptance and with acceptance can come respect and with respect can come love.

It's not a one step process from hate/distaste to love. It's a process. You need only begin.

 

[RaymondG]

I treat lovingly those I hate most. And God is glorified.

If you hate them in your heart, it matters not, how you treat them.

God wants us to actually love....not act like we love......

 

[RaymondG]

Please note, I am not a Christian, so you may wish to ignore my comments. However, you have posted this in the section open to all, so I offer these thoughts.

Ask yourself, why is someone your enemy? What event, or events led you to become enemies? Was is one or more of their actions, and if so, why did they carry out those actions? Might there have been a justification, for them, you are unware of? Is it possible that one of your actions generated a hostile reaction from them?

Put another way, "walk a mile in their shoes", in your imagination. Envisage what may have led them - and you - to this animosity. This may help you to better understand them and with understanding can come acceptance and with acceptance can come respect and with respect can come love.

It's not a one step process from hate/distaste to love. It's a process. You need only begin.

How would you apply this strategy in the case of sexual abuse.....especially in the case of a minor.

 

[Dave L]

If you hate them in your heart, it matters not, how you treat them.

God wants us to actually love....not act like we love......

If you have the Holy Spirit, you avoid acting by walking in the Spirit while your flesh hates them passionately. Do you battle the flesh?

 

[Ophiolite]

How would you apply this strategy in the case of sexual abuse.....especially in the case of a minor.

That is an excellent question and one that merits a carefully considered reply. While I am thinking on it, do you feel the process I have outlined would have value in some situations?

 

[RaymondG]

That is an excellent question and one that merits a carefully considered reply. While I am thinking on it, do you feel the process I have outlined would have value in some situations?

Yes, I find that your advice can be helpful in many situations. The only thing I would change for myself is.....instead of considering whether or not my actions caused them to treat me a certain way......I would consider whether or not I would behave the same as them if I were in their shoes.

 

[Dave L]

Yes, I find that your advice can be helpful in many situations. The only thing I would change for myself is.....instead of considering whether or not my actions caused them to treat me a certain way......I would consider whether or not I would behave the same as them if I were in their shoes.

You might not agree with this. But I see everything that happens to me as God sent. Through which he forms Christ in me. So I look at enemies as blessed tools he uses for the job. And if I do not love them, I do not love him, because God is the one who sent them.

 

[RaymondG]

If you have the Holy Spirit, you avoid acting by walking in the Spirit while your flesh hates them passionately. Do you battle the flesh?

A double minded man is unstable. You cannot love and hate someone at the same time. Would you like to be around people who, even though they act like they love you, hate you inside? I prefer to know exactly what everyone feels than to be surrounded by hypocrites.

When one is born again, There is no more I, but christ that lives in them. There will be not be a house full of love, except with one closet full of hate.... The house must be without spot.....

Yet this is a gradual process.....But it is unwise to believe one has salvation, until this process it completed.

 

[Dave L]

A double minded man is unstable. You cannot love and hate someone at the same time. Would you like to be around people who, even though they act like they love you, hate you inside? I prefer to know exactly what everyone feels than to be surrounded by hypocrites.

When one is born again, There is no more I, but christ that lives in them. There will be not be a house full of love, except with one closet full of hate.... The house must be without spot.....

Yet this is a gradual process.....But it is unwise to believe one has salvation, until this process it completed.

Are you saying the flesh does not battle the Spirit every moment of the day?

“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” Galatians 5:17 (KJV 1900)