Kristi Muszik Unfortunately, We Can’t Love God and Hate Another the Same Time
I had what felt like hate in my heart toward another.
This feeling was so deep and my life so miserable it wouldn’t have bothered me if this individual disappeared and my eyes never laid upon them again.
I am grateful I came across a scripture that changed my life and set me free.
This scripture informed me that I couldn’t say I love God while harboring hate toward another.
I would be considered a hypocrite in God’s eyes.
Deeper in My Heart
I knew deeper in my heart. I wanted nothing to hinder my intimate relationship with my Beloved Father.
So, I made a serious decision, even though my flesh was against it, and the liar whispered the memories of the wrongs done toward me.
A greater desire for the pure love for my beloved Father arose from deep within me and overrode the flesh and lies, and I chose to allow His love to saturate me.
Then, I turned His saturated love and forgiveness toward that individual.
I found love and forgiveness growing in my heart for this individual, to the point of wanting to see the goodness of God manifested in their lives.
Burning Desire
A deep burning desire to see this individual life free took hold of me while tears escaped my eyes – tears of love.
Today, years later, only love flows out of my heart toward them when I think of them, and only good memories take my thoughts.
My heart rejoices for how words of life in prayers flow through my lips when I speak of this person.
I have also learned that no matter how wrong someone has done, forgiveness with love can only pour out of our hearts.
And, through that, is where healing takes place for our hearts and souls.
The goal I am striving for is to rest in Jesus, coming into a place where no matter what wrongs done toward my person or family, it will not penetrate my heart.
Instead, it will bounce off of me, and only genuine love and concern for the person will flow through me.
More Concerned of Others
I want to be in a place where I am more concerned about their welfare than mine – seeing Jesus touch their hearts and set them free from their pain.
People only hurt people because of pain eroding their hearts and soul.
My Dear Friend, let’s saturate ourselves in God’s love, allowing His breath of healing to penetrate deep into our hearts and souls.
Let’s strive to become more concerned about others’ well-being than ourselves – knowing Jesus got us and took the pain, so we don’t have to endure any.
Our thoughts shall be more consumed with views of Jesus and His desires for the precious souls around us than our passions in our small little world.
My flesh wants to fight against this and stay in its little world, but I know to live a fulfilling life in Jesus, it has to be about Him and not me.
But we can do this with Jesus’ help and guidance.
1 John 4:20-21 says:
Anyone can say, “I love God,” yet have hatred toward another believer. This makes him a phony, because if you don’t love a brother or sister, whom you can see, how can you truly love God, whom you can’t see? For he has given us this command: whoever loves God must also demonstrate love to others.[a] – (TPT)
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should also [unselfishly] love his brother and seek the best for him. – (AMP)
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer,[a] that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.[b] – (NLT)
