My Blog
is a place to discover God’s unconditional love and learn how to share that love with others.
God Calls Us to Love Everyone—Even Our Enemies.
Luke was murdered in 2017, and God told me that I had to forgive my son’s killer unconditionally. It didn’t matter if he was repentant or not. God asked me not only to forgive and love him, but also to pray for him.
Matthew 5:43–48 says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Unconditional love and forgiveness can help us heal.
Although it hurt that I no longer had my son, my only child, I would never heal if I gave in to bitterness or resentment. I have completely forgiven my son’s killer.
In Matthew 26:50, Jesus addressed Judas as “friend” even as Judas betrayed him. When I think of Judas, I think of a malicious traitor, but Jesus showed him compassion, just as I now love Luke’s killer. Even while suffering on the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
God loves EVERYONE UNCONDITIONALLY!
God loves everyone unconditionally, and everyone matters to him. Jesus died for each and every one of us. We all have a purpose, and we should try to find our purpose.
Do you unconditionally love everyone? This is our purpose.
My purpose is to love like Jesus did, even to love Luke’s killer—and I TRULY DO.
As my pastor, Ray Streets, Jr., once said, “The Bible tells us that we love, not because people always deserve it, but because God first loved us.”
If you are a Christian, that means Jesus pursued and reached out to you even when you didn’t deserve it. When we love people and don’t give up on them, we remember what the Lord did for us.
Is loving unconditionally hard to do?
Sometimes people are really hard to love. The truth is that the most difficult people to love are the ones who need love the most, but I don’t feel my son’s killer is really hard to love—not at all. He may not be repentant, but that does not stop me from loving him.
Romans 8:28 tells us that God works in all things for the good of those who love him, and I believe he will bring good even from this tragedy. I can’t imagine how, but I trust that he will.
We should love everyone unconditionally because our God is sovereign.
He is a sovereign God, and his ways are not our ways, nor are his thoughts our thoughts. He will never leave me, and he will never forsake me. What choice do I have other than to trust him? God created my son and me, and we are his.
Although I don’t understand why God allowed Luke to be taken from this earth, I choose to trust him even when I have questions. We don’t belong to ourselves. We were bought at a price when Jesus died on the cross, and we accepted him as our Lord and Savior.
God is sovereign, but that doesn’t mean he desires evil. He did not desire that someone shoot and kill my son. Although he allowed it to happen, I trust that he can bring good even from this tragedy.
Do you love unconditionally? Every person desires this kind of love.
As Charles Stanley once said, “Every person is born with a deep desire to be loved unconditionally, but when this yearning isn’t fully met, many hurts and scars can result. What security and wholeness there is in knowing that we can call God ‘our Father’ and receive that unconditional love!”
Who do you need to love unconditionally? Start now.
Amen! It can be very hard to love unconditionally, but it is what we are called to do.
I agree 100%, Sydney!
It is definitively difficult to find love for some people. And it takes a really strong person, with an amazing moral compass, to achieve what you have. I am definitely humbled by your strength.
Thank you so much, Marianne.
Wow, very thought provoking. I definitely need to work on loving everyone unconditionally!
It does take a lot of work, Alexis.
First, I want to say I am so sorry for your loss. I am so thankful that you are able to love unconditionally. It took me many years before I could love my ex-husband unconditionally. However, my walk with Jesus required that I do so. Thanks so much for sharing your story. Jesus loves you. Amen.
I’m glad you are finally able to love your ex, Sabrina.
Agape love is unconditional, but that doesn’t mean we can’t distance ourselves from unsatisfactory behaviors. Love does not equal carte blanche.
I struggle so much with forgiveness. I know God requires it of me, but forgiving my childhood abuse and moving on has been hard. Somedays I feel all is good and the next, I am back to bitter and angry! I know I will get there someday, where the grace you found to forgive will locate me too.
I am praying for you.
Thought provoking. While I get irritated or angry at others, I still see them as human and and am empathetic towards them and their situation. Hadn’t contemplated if it’s unconditional love or a respect for all living beings.
I am so glad you are empathetic.
I’ve definitely learned over the years that forgiveness with love doesn’t necessarily require a relationship. You can forgive and love someone from afar. I’m glad God wants us to heal our hearts, but without the requirement of holding a relationship.
I’m so glad God has healed my heart. It is such a blessing!
It is hard but having people who love you unconditionally in your life is what we all need!
Unconditional love is definitely a gift.
You are filled with incredible strength. I definitely don’t love everyone but I’m ok with that too ?
Thank you for sharing and for being so inspiring ??
Thank you, Keirsten, for your kind words.
It is very challenging to love unconditionally! It is what our instruction book from God requires of us though! Push through and make every attempt to love others, no matter what. It is freeing!
It is so freeing. I can’t imagine my ongoing pain if I wouldn’t have forgiven my son’s killer.
This can be hard to do. Thank you for the reminder and for your modeling of this. You are so strong and full of love.
Kristin, thank you for your kind words.
It is a process learning how to love unconditionally. I feel, for me, it starts with humility. I am still a work in progress.
Humility is wonderful. It took me way too long to learn to be humble.
I admire your strength and ability to forgive what some would say is unforgivable!
I love what you said because my taglines are “loving the unlovable” and “forgiving the unforgivable.”
All I can do is continue to try and do my best. When I fail all I can do is send love and light to that person and then let it go. A work in progress always.
Learning to love unconditionally is a process that can be really difficult, especially in situations like yours when the people you’re closest to are affected in horrendous ways. But by taking a step back and looking at everyone the same way you look at your family, it becomes a bit easier. Over time, it is truly possible.
Amen!
This can be such a struggle at times.
Amen!
I struggle with this often.