Matthew 5:44 – But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

A friend has died of cancer and his wife talks of taking her life. A young girl has been sexually molested. Should I forgive her molester? My enemies are in my mind. The enemy is feelings of despair and thoughts of "what is the use of trying to face all the garbage that life dumps on me?" The enemy is religious doubt: do I really believe that God has the power and the inclination to be with me in all life situations? I turn to the beatitudes. I recall that "blessed" also means "happy" and that "a person is as happy as they make up their mind to be." So it is up to me to listen to and act on the words of God as revealed to me in the Bible. So when life situations dump on me, "I WILL" pray that God will strengthen my belief and assist me to love those enemies in my mind. With God's love I will change those enemies of despair and doubt into hope and conviction.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,
Oh! What a foretaste of Glory divine.
Perfect submission all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest.

Prayer: God, you are all powerful and great and good. Take away my unbelief and strengthen me to face each new day. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

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About the author:

Ross Witmer <rosswitmer@rogers.com>
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
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