I cannot ever remember a time I was filled with such hate that it changed the course of my entire life. That it would be the sole driving force for all my decisions and the basis on which I live my life. I cannot remember because hate has never dominated my life.
Hate can destroy, divide, and blind those consumed by it. It can be so great that it will propel our pride to a level where no one else matters anymore. It will prompt us to react with irrational logic when we don’t get our way and smugly dismiss those who do not see things like we do. It will hinder us from assessing our very own actions. It can become so prevalent in our lives that it seethes within us, takes root, rules our emotions and dictates our every decision. It can permeate so deep within us that it plummets us into a pit of darkness and blinds us to the reality of the outcome of all our choices. Hate will instigate conflict, vulgarity and impulsive fits of rage without accountability. Hate is so powerful it convinces us that our hate is good and love and peace are bad. Hate can lead us to believe that not only are we entitled to it but that it is justified at any cost. And finally, the hatred we feel is so consuming that Satan actually whispers in our ear that we are happy and at peace in our hate and we wholeheartedly believe it.
With a hate so encompassing, I would hope that I would fearfully ask, “What is the source fueling this hatred within me and where is this power coming from?” You don’t need biblical wisdom to know that hate does not come from God. God is perfect love. This only leaves one other entity from which hate is derived. This dark power is very pleased watching as hate continues to be fed, justified, and projected all while dragging its victim into a deeper, darker pit that is inescapable without God’s intervention, the intercession of prayer, and deliverance from this bondage.
John 8:44
….when he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
In love, there is light, hope, and a future. Love is an open door. Love makes you grateful, thankful and empathetic. It wishes the best for others. Love promotes peace and harmony and strives for resolution and reconciliation. Love puts others first. Love shows mercy. Love requests, not demands. Love doesn’t control, it grants freedom. Love repairs relationships and unites.
In hate, there is darkness, despair, and no future. Hate is a closed door. Hate is engulfed in chaos and turmoil. Hate is bitterness and resentment. It is envious of others. Hate is selfish. Hate refuses to compromise and refuses peace. Hate controls, manipulates and dictates. Hate breaks relationships and divides.
The power of love is so much greater and offers so much more. Love can only be attained through humility whereas hate is derived from pride. Love and peace come from all things good. God is the source of love and peace. If you are serving God, you know peace and love. You are led by the Holy Spirit through convictions on how to react, respond and behave with grace. You strive to attain unity in all circumstances. The exact opposite can be said for hate. If you are driven by hate, then you are not serving God. Hate comes from darkness. The powers of darkness too can lead your way of life. The more you feed these powers of darkness, the stronger these dark powers will be over you and your life. You feed darkness by your disobedience to God, your pride, ungodly choices, and what is in your heart. They will open the door to Satan’s power in your life.
James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Hate comes from brokenness and many times it is a reflection of the realization of the emptiness and pain in one’s life.
Love can be very difficult at times and it requires much prayer and discipline. If someone has caused you pain, love will not come naturally from our flesh. Love is driven by the Holy Spirit within you and can only be obtained through prayer. Hate is very easy. Hate requires nothing but our selfish, fleshly desire to serve ourselves.
1 Peter 4:8
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins
How do you love someone who has caused great pain? This cannot and will not be achieved on our own. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to lead us to forgiveness. We must remember that God grants mercy to the undeserving, and that would be you and me. Though difficult, we must do the same.
Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
James 2:13
Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We all have a choice between being loving or hateful. It all depends on what force we allow to rule our life…goodness or evil. It’s our free will to choose, but all our choices come with consequences, either here on earth or eternally. I choose goodness and I choose God. This is not accomplished through my own efforts, because if it was, I’d fail miserably. It is only attainable through God’s grace and mercy which He has bestowed upon me so that I may bestow it upon others. I am undeservingly forgiven every day, through a great price that Jesus paid for me…and for you. I must make an effort, with His help, to do the same.
The Bible. It’s filled with wisdom and keeps me in line. If you are asking yourself, where do I begin in reading the Bible? Proverbs and Psalms are filled with wisdom and guidance on how we should live our lives. If you’re seeking wisdom, you will find it. Once you are finished with those, you will have a thirst for more; ask God to lead you.
Peace & Perspective 
April 16, 2016 at 7:59 pm
Good stuff. It’s so helpful to own our own pain. Once we realize that it belongs to us, we can stop being angry at others. No one can take our pain away. We have to choose to let it go.
LikeLiked by 1 person