In Matthew 5:46-48, Jesus tells us we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us; and further: "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
It’s clear to me I have a lot of work to do, but I am not discouraged for Jesus tells us,”…with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26b) In his book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan puts it like this:
Dear friends, it is a process. Do not be discouraged, for as the author of Hebrews wrote, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 1b-2a). Let us remember to keep our eyes focused upon Jesus!“The fact is, I need God to help me love God. And if I need His help to love Him, a perfect being, I definitely need His help to love other, fault-filled humans. Something mysterious, even supernatural must happen in order for genuine love for God to grow in our hearts. The Holy Spirit has to move in our lives.
It is a remarkable cycle: Our prayers for more love result in love, which naturally causes us to pray more, which results in more love…As we begin to focus more on Christ, loving Him and others becomes more natural."
God bless you!
