Tag Archives: Enemies
Loving Your Enemies
“If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty give them water to drink.
You will heap coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you.” Proverbs 25: 21-22
Who actually loves their enemies? Do you?
Recently, I am being met with challenges I didn’t think I would have to contend with in my walk. These situations have caught me off guard and by surprise.
What I’m realizing is the enemy never sleeps. He is always busy inciting others to stir up problems.
This time it’s involving a neighbor. A neighbor that we have been nothing but kind and respectful toward has been maliciously gossiping and spreading false accusations against my husband and I for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
I can’t tell you how troubling this is for me, especially given the fact that we have had no issues with any neighbor, much less this one.
It just boggles my mind, hurts my heart and discourages my spirit.
I keep trying to remind myself that this is the work of Satan and to not allow my faith to be shaken.
It’s times like this, when my faith is being tested and pushed to the limit.
This week the Lord showed me the above verse in Proverbs, and I had been meditating on it. Little did I know I would be contending with this very issue this weekend.
I can’t tell you how many scenarios I’ve entertained in my mind of what I would love to tell this neighbor in response.
Adrenaline coursing through my veins, wanting nothing more to confront and give them a piece of my mind.
Until I heard the Lord say, “Do not do or say anything, keep silent. Vengeance is mine.”
I was so upset when I heard the Lord say this to me. I want to tell this neighbor off and put them in their place. But I realize if I do so, I would be disobeying the Lord and stepping outside of His will and protection.
So here I am writing this and stewing in my anger toward this evil neighbor.
Yet God says for us to love our neighbors, love and pray for our enemies. This is probably the hardest thing for me to do right now and I can tell you that my flesh has absolutely no interest or desire to do so.
My practice and inclination is to confront and put people in their place when they are doing wrong. I have no qualms about telling someone what I think, what is harder for me is to keep silent.
What about you? Are you able to love your enemies? Have you experienced anything similar? If so, how did you handle it and what was the outcome? I would be interested in reading your comments.
This is a song that I have gone to time and time again through the years. It’s called Psalm 3 by Salvador, here are the lyrics and You Tube video. I hope it blesses you:
Many are those that rise up against me
And many are saying of me
God will not deliver him (repeat)
Arise oh Lord and deliver me
Oh my God
Oh my God (repeat)
I cry upon my Lord
And He answers me
From His holy hill (repeat)
Arise oh Lord and deliver me
Oh my God
Oh my God (repeat)
I will not fear the tens of thousands
Drawn up against me
On every side
Arise oh Lord and deliver me
Oh my God
Oh my God (repeat)
Posted in blogging, christianity, faith, forgiveness, prayer, writing
Also tagged Psalm 3, Salvador, Satan
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