Even When Hurt

Recently I received a message from an old friend who was having trouble loving one of his family members.

My advice to the friend was to pray for the situation. Then I suggested that he call or go to the family member and tell them how he felt.

I told him that I believed that God would be with him as he talked to the family member about the matter.

It may be very hard to put aside our differences and ask God to help us love those who have hurt us.

Yet, in John 13:34 Jesus says that we are to love one another. Certainly, loving someone who has hurt us—or someone we love—is not easy.

Jesus shows us the way; we love others as he loved us. Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to die for us: ‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters’ (1 John 3:16). I think this means that we are to love everyone, even those we find very hard to love.

And when we love in this way, the world will notice: ‘By this every­one will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’ (John 13:35).

Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, we pray that you give us the ability to love others as you loved us—by dying for us. In Jesus’ name. Amen