Loving Others When It’s Hard

We know that when the Bible repeats something over and over, it’s because the message is important—and often difficult for us to grasp. But love? Why would loving others be so hard?

Why Does the Bible Emphasize Love So Much?

Fear is mentioned in the Bible 365 times, and that makes sense to me. “Do not fear” is a difficult command to follow because life is full of uncertainty. We live in a world filled with turmoil, health struggles, and challenges beyond our control. Fear is natural.

But love? Shouldn’t loving others be the easiest command to follow?

Toddlers naturally show love, leaning in to kiss other children, animals, and even their stuffed toys. They aren’t taught how to love—it just flows from them. That makes sense because God breathed life into us, and since He is love, we are born with His love inside us.

So, when does that change?

When do we go from being naturally loving to judging who is or isn’t worthy of love?

When Do We Stop Loving Freely?

Could it be that as we grow, we learn to dislike things based on experience? Maybe it starts with something as small as trying a new food and deciding we don’t like it. Or perhaps it begins when we’re told no—when we wanted that extra cookie but were denied, and we learned to judge fairness and people’s actions.

Then, life gets more complicated. People hurt us. They say unkind things. They betray our trust. Loving someone who has wounded us—physically, emotionally, or spiritually—is difficult.

But God still tells us to love.

God Loves Us Even When We Are Hard to Love

Why does the Bible mention love so many times?

I’m sure biblical scholars could give an in-depth theological answer, but here’s what I believe:

To God, we are those hard-to-love people.

We may not be physically mean to God, but we have certainly hurt Him. We have judged others, spoken harshly, acted selfishly, and sinned against Him.

And yet… He still loves us.

Romans 5:8 (NIV):
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Think about that for a moment. Before we ever acknowledged Him, before we ever repented, before we ever tried to be better—God already loved us enough to send Jesus to the cross.

If someone hurt my child, I can tell you right now that loving them would be off the table. But God loves us even when we fail Him, even when we disappoint Him.

Choosing to Love Like God Loves Us

If God weren’t pure love, none of us would stand a chance of making it to Heaven. His grace and mercy cover us daily—not because we deserve it, but because He chooses to love us anyway.

So here’s the real question:
If I want God to love me even when I’m unlovable…
Why wouldn’t I extend the same love to others?

1 John 4:7-8 (NIV):
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Loving others doesn’t mean excusing their wrongdoings or allowing them to mistreat us. But it does mean choosing to love them anyway—the way God loves us anyway.

To GOD Goes The Glory

Have A Bless Day

Let’s End with a Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank You for loving me even when I don’t deserve it. You see my flaws, my mistakes, and my shortcomings, yet You continue to pour out Your love and grace. Lord, help me to love others the way You love me. When I am tempted to judge or hold back love, remind me that You never hold back Your love from me. Give me a heart that reflects Yours—full of kindness, patience, and compassion.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.