How easy is it for us to pray for those who persecute us? Let’s be honest, it’s tough! Even as I read through scripture, God’s word, telling me that I must love my neighbor and pray for those who persecute me, I find myself struggling with it.
I have been persecuted, hated, cussed at, beaten, spit on, and defiled in many ways during my short life. But the pain I have endured is nothing close to what Jesus went through. It’s easy to lose sight of that – I certainly have. Over the past four months I have experienced much heartache, and more words against me than I care to think about; those words came from my own family.
I have went through my fair share of bitterness and resentment. In one of my recent posts I wrote about the challenge a friend gave me to bless someone who had hurt me. I was trying to figure out exactly how I was going to do that, because the person that God laid on my heart was not a person I wanted to bless, or even think about.
I sat down to write her a letter. I could only tell her I forgave her. I sat and stared at the screen and the words wouldn’t come out. Then I was convicted. I thought all this time I had forgiven her, but it wasn’t true. God spent the rest of the day working on my heart. I had to forgive her before I could bless her. I did just that. It has been a struggle, and I often find myself waking up and asking God to help me forgive her again.
I finished writing the letter to her. What started out as anger towards her turned into a simple thank you for the things she did to help my family. I wished her well, and I apologized for any wrongdoing I may have done to hurt her. I had a huge lump in my throat as I wrote the letter. It wasn’t tears, it wasn’t potato chips, it was my pride. That annoying lump has found it’s way back many times over the past few weeks. But God’s dealing with me on the issue. We’ll make it.
It isn’t easy to love those who don’t love us back. It isn’t easy to want great things for those who hate us. But Jesus did it. As he hung on a cross, knowing the last minutes of his life would be spent suffering, he demonstrated his ultimate love. We are compelled to do the same.
We must show mercy and grace to everyone. God’s Word tells us so. We must be merciful, just as our Father was.
Let us show grace and mercy to those who persecute us so they may see Jesus in us.