Matthew 5:44 says,
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
This is one of the hardest commands in all of Scripture. Love your enemies? Pray for those who hurt you? That’s not natural. Everything in you wants revenge, wants justice, wants them to get what they deserve.
But Jesus doesn’t just suggest this—He commands it. And He modeled it. While He was being crucified, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Loving your enemies doesn’t mean approving of what they did. It doesn’t mean pretending it doesn’t hurt. It means choosing to release bitterness, to pray for their good, and to trust God to be the judge.
It’s supernatural. And you can’t do it on your own. You need the Holy Spirit’s power.
Who’s your enemy? Who’s hurt you, betrayed you, wronged you? Today, pray for them. Not a halfhearted prayer, but a real, honest prayer for their good. Ask God to bless them, to save them, to work in their lives. It won’t be easy, but do it anyway.
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