Dear Lord,
You call me to hate what is sinful, so I hate pride, arrogance, and lying, especially when these sins are found in me.
But even though You call me to hate sin, You also call me to love sinners. You want me to love my neighbors, including the difficult people You have placed into my life. You ask me to cover wrongs with love instead of allowing wrongs or disagreements to pull me into foolish quarrels. You show me how blind I am when I refuse to forgive my brother. You teach me that hate plunges me into darkness instead of allowing me to stay in Your light.
You are delighted when I lay down my pride and forgo the right to be proven right. You are pleased when I love those who don’t deserve my love. After all, I don’t deserve Your love either.
So, Lord, I open my heart to receive more of Your love so that I can love everyone in my life—through Your power. I bless those who curse me and pray they will turn their hearts to You.
Lord, the world may hate me, but it hated You first. Just as You chose me to be in Your kingdom, I choose to follow You instead of following the world.
It is my prayer, Lord, that as I love others, they will feel Your love through me. Please give them the opportunity to discover how Your love can change their lives.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
The fear of the Lord is to hate what is sinful. I hate pride, self-love, the way of sin, and lies.
Proverbs 8:13 NLV
Hate starts quarrels,
but love covers every wrong.
Proverbs 10:12 GW
Whoever hates his brother is not in the light but lives in darkness. He does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
1 John 2:11 NLV
But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
Luke 6:27–28 NLT
If the world hates you, realize that it hated me before it hated you. If you had anything in common with the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But you don’t have anything in common with the world. I chose you from the world, and that’s why the world hates you.
John 15:18–19 GW