Loving When It Hurts
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
Did you know God expects you to love others unconditionally, even if they've hurt you? I know loving someone who has hurt you is hard; however, it's what God expects, which is why He has deposited His love in your heart. God's love gives you the ability to love the unlovable. His love gives you the power to love through hurt, pain, and any other circumstances your normal love would not be able to withstand. Let's face it, hurt is a very real part of life. Everyone has experienced hurt at some point. However, it's important not to allow hurt to cause you to become bitter, or prevent you from loving others. Although it may temporarily feel good to stop loving someone who has hurt you, it will eventually lead to heartache, unanswered prayer, and ultimately, destruction; which is why God commands us, above all else, to never stop loving. Did you know every law in God's Kingdom works by love? Your prosperity, healing, and deliverance, are all directly affected by your ability to love. God is love, and His power to prosper, heal, and deliver you operates in the circle of love. When you operate outside that circle, you put yourself in a position where God, who is love, cannot help you. Learning how to heal and forgive so you can stay in the circle of love, is vital to receiving the wonderful things God has for you. Maybe you've been hurt by a dear friend, or treated unfairly by a close relative. Either way, you've got a life—altering choice to make—either deal with your pain in a godly manner and continue to walk in love, or allow negative emotions to consume you, and ultimately destroy your life. The choice is yours! When you choose to walk in love, you position yourself to experience the power of God in every area of your life. He has the power to heal you of all hurt, and free you from the pain associated with it. However, you have to believe and trust Him to not only heal you, but also restore everything you've lost. God is faithful to His Word. Make a decision today, that regardless of what it takes, you will love others unconditionally. You'll be glad you did!
— Dr. Creflo A. Dollar Scripture references:
Mark 11:25
James 5:16
1 Corinthians 13
Psalm 35:27
Luke 10:19
Ephesians 6:12
Romans 5:5
9 comments:
25: And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
16: Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
13 : And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
5Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.
This is good - and I think we need to also remember that love is not a feeling: it is an action. It's a decision, it doesn't just happen. So a person can love an unlovable person simply by deciding to love them.
From Matthew 6:14 and 15:
Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your Heavenly Father will forgive you yours; BUT if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings, either!
And
From Hebrew's 12:14 and 15:
Always be wanting peace with all people - and the holiness - without which no one can ever see the Lord. Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble. This can poison your whole body (you literally can become physically ill from a root of bitterness, and unforgiveness). It can poison the whole family and the whole community, even!
WHAT IS FORGIVENESS?
.An attitude of recognizing my brokeness - my good and bad together.
.Letting go of my right to take revenge, or to get even, or to wish harm on another.
WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT
..Forgiveness is NOT excusing the other. It is not letting them off the hook for the pain caused -- excusing dishonors both myself and the other person.
..Forgiveness is NOT tolerating bad behavior or pretending it doesn't matter.
..Forgiveness is NOT pretending everything is okay and life can continue on as it was before
Forgiveness is NOT not being angry - anger that is direct and immediate is a healthy response to hurt or to an invasion of self.
..Forgiveness is NOT removing boundaries or letting the other person walk all over me
..Forgiveness is NOT forgetting
Forgiveness is NOT reconciling; reconcilation depends on both people wanting more
..Forgiveness is NOT a one time, all done event; it is a process that takes time
...Forgiveness honors myself; the hurt I feel is real and is worth acknowledging and grieving.
...Forgiveness honors the other person, because it treats him/her like the adult that he/she is
"NOT FORGIVING IS LIKE DRINKING RAT POISON AND WAITING FOR THE RAT TO DIE." Anne Lamott
Thanks for these comments Karen, Debbie and Sharon - and me, too! I am just re-reading this and it is very good. I think we should all read this every now and then. Examine ourselves and see if we need to work on this area of our lives. I know I do. And I also know that there is a correlation between my forgiveness and how I feel.
Great insight about forgiveness, especially what is and what it isn't. I had never thought about it that way before.
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