Let Go of Hate in 5 Steps

It is crazy how hate can eat us up! Hate robs us of peace and precious time! I’ve been there, trust me and hatred is nowhere you want to linger! I prayed and I prayed to have my hatred taken away! After some serious prayer and meditation it became clear to me I needed to do a five simple but important things:
#1) Be Aware the Pay-off!

Become aware of hatred’s pay-off. We can at times get a false sense of pride or superiority from our hatred. At times we revel with the sense of being better than another, more valuable to God, more loved… perhaps even “special” in His sight.. but that is a lie. We are all loved equally as is parabled by Jesus in the stories of the lost coin and the Prodigal Son.

What seems like reassurance of our own value is actually a prison that we are locking ourselves into and away from others. By setting ourselves above (and therefore apart from) our brothers and sisters (who are also God’s children) we are actually separating ourselves from the love that God has intended for us to experience with Him.

#2) Remember Why You Are Here!

Even those who are not Christians understand the importance of loving others in this life! As believers we are clearly instructed by Jesus to love. The truth is we are here to love others! YES, even our enemies! We aren’t called to extend love just to the deserving and lovable but to the lost, the misled, and the lonely! We are called to LOVE… not to hate, nor judge!

We are not always able to accurately judge another’s heart so we really should not even try! We must leave that to God. He knows each of us and our motivations better than we know ourselves and ONLY He had the perspective of knowing the full truth of another’s heart.

#3) Begin the Process of Forgiveness.

Forgiveness begins with admitting to ourselves and to others that part of the hatred comes from the disappointment in that person not meeting OUR expectations. Acknowledge that hate comes from resenting another in not doing or behaving in a way we approve of, what we feel is acceptable or understand!

#4) Let Go of Hatred’s Company!

Admit that sometimes, just sometimes we gain camaraderie with others through our collective hatred. We can create a feeling of companionship under hatred’s guise!

Driven by the need to feel accepted and a part of a group… or perhaps it is a “mob-mentality”… we will hate at times because of this Earthly desire to belong.

We want to feel a part of something bigger than ourselves… even if that something is membership of a group based on hate. “Hate-groups” aren’t always the ones shouting obscenities in the media… but can also be secret clubs in the break room at work or within the prayer or small group of our local church.

#5) Recognize the Good.

Rarely (if ever) is another 100% evil. Often we exaggerate the bad and minimize the positive characteristics and deeds of others. We magnify their “sins” and ignore completely anything potentially good in regards to their existence.

Once we recognize our limitation in seeing things from God’s perspective and our inability to fully understand their unique life experience we can begin to accept that our hatred is based on a limitation of insight and love.

Even if it is just the acknowledgement that they too are children of God, it will move us away from the grasp of hate… and back into the arms of Love… and this is where we were all meant to be all along!

Once we work (and often re-work) through these 5-steps in an honest and sincere manner we will see our hearts change: we will feel less tense, less depressed, less frustrated and stressed. If we earnestly pursue letting go of the hate we will find ourselves once again at Peace and feel Love enter our hearts and our lives like never before.

Until we empty our lives of all hate we cannot and will not experience a life filled as it is meant to be filled with the pure and life changing Love of God.

❤️Ann ‘Not Just A Blonde’