Occasionally, I encounter individuals who harbor deep resentment toward me. Though we may have once been on good terms, a shift occurred that led to a dramatic end to our connection. While these encounters are mercifully rare, they remain painful. However, I have learned to be thankful for enemies because of how God works through these challenges.
The good news is that I do not feel anger or hatred in return. While I do not live in fear of a chance meeting, the lingering pain serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of loving enemies in daily life.
Tossing and turning one night, I asked, “Jesus, how am I to deal with this? I have forgiven them, but I do not know what else to do.” It is during these difficult moments that we can truly find gratitude through adversity.
God whispered to my soul, Be thankful for your enemies.
Not what I wanted or expected to hear from God.
You’ve heard it, and I’ve taught it: Be thankful in everything but not necessarily thankful for everything.
Yes, I’m supposed to be thankful in all things regardless of the good, the bad or the ugly in my life. But I don’t have to be thankful for cancer or for any other horrible thing that’s happened.
Here’s my theology of thankfulness: Be thankful in all circumstances, but that does not mean gratefulness for all circumstances. So, as you might imagine, God and I had a bit of a disagreement. “Father, I can be thankful in my pain despite the sting of a broken relationship, but being thankful for these people, who consider me an enemy, is just stupid!”
The heavens were silent.
“Okay, God, why? Why in Your name do I need to be thankful for these mean people?”
Then it hit me.
I can be thankful for my enemies because of how God is using them to mold and change me into the image of his Son.
• My enemy provides an opportunity for me to love the unlovely, even as God has loved me.
• My enemy provides a path for personal blessing. I get blessed by God when I love the haters, and I can rejoice in a reward that will someday be mine in heaven.
• My enemy provides a profound opportunity for me to practice the golden rule. (To treat others the way I want to be treated.)
• My enemy provides me with a chance to be more like my Father, who is kind and merciful to the ungrateful and wicked.
By the way, all of the above is found in Luke 6.
Of course, we are supposed to love everyone, but why should you and I be thankful for those who curse and hate us?
Because our enemies help us to grow, and God uses them to transform us from the inside out.
Frankly, I didn’t see that radically different perspective coming, but I’m glad it did.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.” —Luke 6: 22–23
This article originally appeared on KurtBubna.com and is reposted here by permission.