“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

Isn’t this one of the most challenging verses in the Bible? Well, I must confess that I find it to be so!

It is one thing to decide to forgive someone and to pray blessing upon them regularly, and find practical ways of doing good to them. But it is another thing altogether to discover that when I think of the person or the circumstance in question – perhaps months or even years later – I still feel twinges of pain or resentment in my heart. I don’t want it to be there … but I don’t know how to get rid of it!

It is possible and, I think, quite common, to believe that we have truly forgiven someone and yet not fully realise that our heart is still captive to pain. That can be an unconscious block which can hinder the flow of the Holy Spirit in our lives and cause problems.

So what is the solution?

Well, I’d like to share what has helped me in this area – in the hope that it is of help to someone else, too.

I imagine that most of us have experienced deep hurt and injustice at some point in our lives; in particular, where the person or people concerned is/are not prepared to reconcile, and who perhaps even continue with an unhelpful attitude.

In this situation, it is important to remember that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil …” (Eph. 6:12).

So I try not to take persecution and negativity personally – but that’s not always easy, is it?!

First of all, then, I ask God to show me where I myself need to repent and also to ask the other person(s) for forgiveness, when needed.



After that, what has helped me the most in dealing with situations that keep “stinging” my heart when I think of them – despite my having tried fervently to forgive and to bless – is to come before God and say, “Lord, I cannot do this!! I cannot change my heart and truly love this person and sincerely desire the very best for them. So by Your grace I come to You and trust You to change my heart and wash away every hint of offence, including any hidden negative bits that may be lingering – ready to be revived on another occasion unless they are dealt with now!”

Then I turn to God’s Word and remember the Lord’s wonderful declaration in Jeremiah: “I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it” (Jer. 1:12 AMPC). Alleluia! It increases faith to take some specific scriptures into my heart, to pray them, and trust God to work them deep inside me.

For example, I personalise Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-10, “I pray that your [my] love may abound still more and more …. that you [I myself] may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ”.

Another, very relevant prayer of Paul that we can personalise is: “Now may the Lord direct your hearts [my heart] into the love of God and into the patience of Christ” (2 Thess. 3:5).

How strengthening it is to realise that God is infinitely more desirous to answer these prayers than we are to pray them!

The change may not happen immediately. But my testimony is that the change will come – and that we will be joyfully surprised that our hearts do indeed melt with the supernatural love of God – if we don’t give up. The enemy of our souls may often try to dredge up a painful memory again, but we can deal with that temptation by standing firm upon the truth of the unfailing Word of God.

The wonderful thing about praying prayers that are included in the Bible is that we can be absolutely certain that they are in line with the will of God, and that He will answer them. (Also, we can easily change the pronouns and turn the scriptures into intercession for others.)

I would like to conclude with another scriptural prayer which highlights that it is God Himself who sanctifies us (meaning, makes us holy and pure). We cannot sanctify our hearts – or any other part of us – by our own efforts. We need our Saviour to do that.

I love the fact that God makes it so clear in this scripture that He will indeed do the necessary work within us: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; … He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:23-24).



Oh how wonderful IS HE!!

By Ann Shakespeare 21 January 2021