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Tim Maas
Supporter
God's command to love our neighbors as ourselves (which Jesus specifically indicated in Matthew 5:43-48 includes even our enemies) demonstrates that the type of love being referred to is not dependent upon our emotions or "feelings" (which are subject to frequent change), but is an act of the will. I would therefore not necessarily recommend spending time in trying to discern God's purposes regarding the people whom He permits us to encounter (even if those people are deliberately difficult). Instead, for each such person, we should ask ourselves. "How would I act toward this person if I did love him or her?", and then act that way. In addition to obeying God in that regard, as well as imitating His love even for the evil and unjust, we will also then find over time that our feelings will follow our actions.
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