Some people are easy to love. They are good looking. They have the smile. The are dressed to kill. They are clean. They smell good. Others… they stretch us, hurt us, and disappoint us. And sometimes, the hardest thing God asks of us is to love those we would rather avoid.
But his love does not pick favourites. His love chased us down when we were stubborn, messy, and broken. And when that love takes root in our hearts, it begins to change us. It softens what is hardened. It frees us from bitterness. It teaches us to love like he loves.
Unforgiveness is a heavy chain – it weighs down the soul. It is described as taking poison to kill the other person. But when we release it, when we forgive, not because they deserve it but because he forgave us, we are the ones set free. We are not called to feel love – we are called to live it. To choose grace. To speak peace. To show mercy.
Note: to forgive does not mean to condone.
Loving the unlovable is not weakness. On the contrary, it is powerful as it reflects the very heart of God.
Let him fill your heart so fully that it spills over onto those around you – even the difficult ones, especially difficult ones.
Big Idea: Loving like God means forgiving freely and choosing grace over resentment. His love empowers us to love even when it’s hard.
“We love because he first loved us.” (1 Jn 4:19)
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