God Today Devotions 
September 23, 2003

But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:44-45

So many times the offences we suffer at the hands of others, seem difficult if not impossible to forgive. How do we forgive, someone who has wronged us and may even continue to this day? God says we must forgive but our hearts so often cannot seem to muster the desire or the strength. The key is obedience. Doing what God requires and allowing Him to do what we are incapable of. If we harbor feelings of bitterness and ill will, it will eventually destroy us. Those feelings will keep us bound, robbing us of our peace of mind and our joy. In stepping out in obedience and making a choice to pray for our enemies, and extending forgiveness, even if we don’t feel it, we will find the prayers of our hearts changing, as we begin to see them through different eyes, as our hearts melt and weep for their souls. The heavy weight on our heart will dissolve and we will experience liberty and freedom. The perfect love of God never fails, and conquers all.

Prayer

Father, forgive us for embracing feelings of ill will, and bitterness. We are Your sons and daughters and we make a choice today to forgive, and ask that You help to transform our hearts, so that we may see through Your eyes, and produce love from within us instead of hate. Loose the chains that have bound our hearts and free us from bitterness and hate. We are trusting in Your perfect love that never fails. Amen.

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