And for the sin which we have committed before You

by causeless hatred.

Have you ever apologized and asked forgiveness, only to find out later that, even though they said they forgave you they really didn’t? Perhaps you yourself have struggled with forgiving someone? There is a danger of this bitterness becoming “causeless hatred.”

There are, of course, levels of hatred. Antisemitism and racism are causeless hatred. The same can be said for political enmities and ethnic discrimination. Hatred can really creep into our hearts. It is imperative that we actively engage other people’s worlds, like Yeshua did into ours, in order to actively understand and appreciate them. There is a key to doing this: a key to forgiving without struggling. The key is to deal with the lies that hide behind our hurts and wounds.

At times, we struggle to forgive because we focus on forgiving the act done against us rather than addressing the lingering effects of it. In many cases, the lingering effects and judgements are more powerful than the offense itself. Chief among these lingering effects are the lies the enemy tells us about God, ourselves, and others. As long as we are under the power of those lies we will struggle to forgive, to accept others, and to be open to their differences. We must hear from God the truth so that we can be set free.

Abba, is there any lie I may have believed about a country, a nationality, a political group or any other kind of group, or a specific individual in my life that is fueling hatred or contempt within me? Father, I choose to come out of agreement with that lie, and to align with the truth You are showing me. Fill me with Your love and compassion, even for those that I might deem unlovable, so that I might be a greater reflection of You.