How to Forgive & Love with a Genuine Christlike Love?

How to Forgive & Love with a Genuine Christlike Love?

Oh, the innocence of little children,  how they forgive, forget and love with a pure godlike innocent love.

Jesus says in...

Matthew 18:3-4 ESV

and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. [4] Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Forgive, yes we say, "I can Forgive!" But to love them back? To pray for those who hurt us physically, emotionally or mentally we struggle and say, "That I can't! I am struggling to love them, let alone, pray for them and let them into my home or life again! I simply can't! And...if they don't tell me sorry, I won't forgive!"

But what does Jesus ask of us Christians? We who are His image and likeness in this world?  

Here is what Jesus says, in...

Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? [47] And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [48] You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Luke 6:27-37 ESV

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. [29] To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. [30] Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. [31] And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. [32] "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. [35] But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. [36] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. [37] "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Yes, if we are genuine Christians,  followers and imitators of Christ Jesus,  we have to humble ourselves and forgive like Him, love like Him and pray for those who persecute and hurt us like Him. When we can't  we must ask Jesus to pour out His love through us, because we can never love again with our human love which is so defiled.  The love of Christ poured out through us will enable us first to forgive them, then pray for them and love them back. This divine love of Christ poured out through us to them will even change them to repent and to be transformed into Christlikeness. Yes, try it if you do not believe me.

The life of  Corrie Ten Boom is a testimony to this. Do read her biography. 

Jesus our Saviour is still standing at the right hand of the Father, pleading Him for each one of us, who are called by His name, to repent from our vile sins, seek forgiveness and be united with Him again. Can't we do the same my dear brothers and sisters.  Yes it is hard,  very hard for us, humanely speaking. But it is not hard for Him. So let us invite Him to forgive through us, love through us and to change that person through us. He will do it, only if we let Him.

We see in ...

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

God did not wait for us to repent and ask for forgiveness first.  He sacrificed His only Begotten Son for all humanity, even before we ever accepted Jesus or repented. He taught us the Our Father Prayer knowing full well that even before anyone understood that prayer,  He was going to give up His life for humanity, proving His unconditional love for us. Therefore now we forgive, love and repent of our sins because He loved us first and gave His life for us. 

Look at how an innocent child loves. He loves with the innocent Christlike love, forgetting the past and hoping for the best yet to come. Even if we have punished that child  one moment ago, the next moment he turns to us bringing us something, which in his little mind, will make us happy, and runs to us with it in his hands.  Oh how pure and innocent is that child's love. 

We must love like that innocent child and like Christ Jesus.  Not only love but pray for those who have hurt us, made a fool of us, disgraced us and shamed us in public, because we have done all this to Christ Jesus unknowingly throughout our lives. If we need and deserve the forgiveness and grace of God, then those who hurt us and hate us also deserve it from us.

After you intentionally forgive them in your heart, love them with all of your heart (in your heart and mind whenever the thought of them crosses your mind) with Christ's love and pray for them to be transformed, you must just WAIT! Yes, wait upon the Lord to act in His opportune time to unite you with them. He will do it at the right time. Meanwhile pray alot.  You may want to let them know that you have forgiven them and are praying for them. Pray before you do this as each individual situation varies. I am not asking you to go and invite more trouble when the Lord has not acted yet. Pray, pray,  pray much for their transformation because  we want everyone to be in heaven with us.

What is the litmus test, that we have truly forgiven them and love them in return? It is this:- whenever the thought of them crosses our hearts and minds, there will be no more hurt or bitterness towards them there.  We will automatically be able to pray for them when we think of them  

Jesus says in ...

Matthew 7:12 ESV

"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Luke 6:31-33 ESV

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. [32] "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

Remember,  we cannot love with our selfish human nature.  Let us put on the nature of Christ and ask Him to pour His love into us. Then the impossible will become possible.  

Only then can we all Christians live in unity for God's glory. Then the world will know Jesus by our love.

So love like Jesus with the innocence of that child you see in the above picture. 

God bless you.

Mary Augustine ✍️ 🌹