But I HATE him/her!

Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

The Lord teaches us to not be like those who have no God; who have no Father in heaven. We are to be different from the world in our heart and behaviours of others. This can be a real test of our trust in Christ. Are we willing to come to understand what He was teaching His disciples in this few verses?

What makes it "okay" for us to begin to hate another person? What happens to our thinking?

We normally first get some reasons for our hate:
1. I have a right to hate, I was wronged.
2. The offense was too great.
3. They are not truly sorry.
4. They'll do it again.
5. They did it again.
6. I'll be a hypocrite if I forgive, because I don't feel like forgiving.
7. I'll forgive, but I won't ever forget.

What are the results of this hate build up?
1. Stress
2. Self-inflicted re injuring
3. No more sense of love
4. Bitterness
5. Walls that keep others out

Eph 4:32 "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you."

Our do you experience the act of Forgiveness?

You MUST choose...

Choosing to forgive another by remembering the complete forgiveness you have in Christ. By first looking at your own life and the ways YOU DISOBEY God and how you experienced His forgiveness. Wat areas have we sinned against our Lord?

To experience the forgiveness of others I must...
1. Remember the cross
2. Choose to forgive them

Many people refuse this SIMPLE way to come back into balance with others and the Lord. Pride, self-righteousness, blindness and fear keep us from experiencing this divine gift of forgiveness. We do not have to extract every once of justice from every wrong inflicted. God will make it right one day.

Trust Him!