Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
Romans 12:9-17
Paul begins this passage with, "Love should be shown without pretending." He commands us to love one another with no pretense. But sometimes this life of constant love and kindness is hard work. People can be cruel and disrespectful. They can be arrogant and self-righteous. To genuinely and sincerely love one another all the time doesn't really seem possible.
So how can we achieve that goal? Buried in Paul's list of directions is one "to devote yourselves to prayer." This is not praying when you feel like it or have a few extra minutes. Devoting oneself to prayer means to live in a constant state of communication with God, listening to God's guidance and wisdom and then dedicating yourself to following God's direction.
If one is eagerly devoted to prayer, then human ways of thinking have a much better chance of being overcome by God's way of thinking. It's still not easy to let go of anger and always treat others with respect, but if the guidance of God is foremost in your thoughts, then you are not relying just on human willpower. You are allowing the Holy Spirit to demonstrate its power through you, pointing you back in the direction of genuine love and grace.
Prayer: Lord, may my devotion in prayer help me to genuinely love my neighbors. Help me to live in a constant state of communication with You, listening to Your guidance and wisdom and then dedicating myself to following Your direction. Please, Holy Spirit, as I pray to you throughout the day, please demonstrate Your power through me, pointing me back in the direction of love and grace. In Jesus' name, Amen.
* Devotions taken from The Sanctuary for Lent by Sue Mink
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