When It's Hard to Love

Love is one of the most common topics in texts, books, songs, and more. Most of us would be experts since it is such a familiar concept. However, it is one of the most talked about and written topics because it is one of the concepts with which most of us have the most conflict, doubts, and stories of joy and pain.

By personality, I have always been considered a person who loves easily. However, I have had moments when love became one of the biggest challenges.

Love is one reason relationships are established; lack of love is a common reason for broken relationships. How do we get there?

The answer is that love implies giving. In the word of God, we find one of the most well-known verses, which says: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

When God loved the world, he GAVE his only Son. By nature, we are inclined to think about our well-being, comfort, and benefit. Our focus becomes an introspective approach (towards ourselves), and we lose sight of the essence of love.

Love GIVES, which implies that our focus is projected towards others. Love gives despite the circumstances; love gives despite conflicts, and love continues despite wounds.

God did not need to give his Son, but he wanted to tangibly demonstrate his love for us. As his creation, we did nothing to earn his love; he loved. He does not only love us once we are at a certain level of maturity to receive it. He gave his ONLY Son to show us his immense love for us.

When challenged to love those who hurt me, I remember God leading me to pray for these people as we pray for those we love deeply. I prayed for them, for their family, for their work, for their finances, for their well-being, for their emotional and spiritual health. My perspective towards them changed entirely because God allowed me to see that it is not about whether they were worthy of receiving love or not, but that we all need it. Unfortunately, amid pain, we refuse to give or receive it. Everyone, even those who hurt us, is vulnerable and needs someone to love them.

We are constantly called to give, to love, without expecting that those who have brought pain into our lives will change, but with the certainty that our love can impact their lives.

Today, I want to challenge you to intentionally take 3 minutes to pray for the lives of the people who have hurt you and cry out for them as you would for those who are easy to love. Ask God to meet them in their needs, cry out for miracles, and cry out to see Jesus manifested in their lives. I am sure that when you finish this prayer, you will be able to see them differently; you will be able to understand that love has become tangible in your heart, and you will be transformed to transform those around you.