Loving the Unlovable

Loving the Unlovable: A Devotional of Grace
By: Janet Bartosh

Scripture:
“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” — The Gospel of Matthew Matthew 5:44

Reflection:
If we’re honest, there are people in our lives who are simply hard to love.
Maybe they’ve hurt us deeply. Maybe they’ve betrayed our trust, spoken against us, disrespected us, or repeatedly caused pain. In those moments, showing kindness can feel impossible. Offering grace can feel unfair. Forgiveness can feel undeserved.

And yet… this is exactly where God calls us to live differently.

The reality is that God did not wait until we deserved His love before He gave it.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Epistle to the Romans Romans 5:8

God extended grace to us when we were undeserving. He forgave us when we had rebelled against Him. He loved us long before we ever chose Him.

So when we refuse to extend grace to others because “they don’t deserve it,” we forget that neither did we.

This doesn’t mean excusing harmful behavior. It doesn’t mean pretending hurt didn’t happen. But it does mean choosing to reflect Christ instead of responding from bitterness.

Sometimes loving others isn’t about feelings.

Sometimes love looks like:

• choosing not to retaliate
• speaking kindly when anger feels easier
• praying for someone you’d rather avoid
• forgiving even when no apology comes
• remembering that God is still pursuing their heart too

Jesus Christ showed compassion to those who mocked Him, betrayed Him, and crucified Him.
If we want to be more like Christ, we must learn to love even when it costs us something.
Because sometimes the people we least want to show grace to are the very people God is asking us to represent Him to.

Challenge for Today:
Ask yourself:
“Am I withholding grace from someone that God freely gave to me?”
Then take one step today toward showing Christ’s love — even if it’s simply praying for that person.
Because grace becomes most powerful when it is given where it feels least deserved.

Prayer:
Father,
There are people I struggle to love. There are hurts I carry that make forgiveness difficult. Help me remember the grace You have shown me. Teach me to love as You love, forgive as You forgive, and extend mercy even when it feels undeserved. Give me the strength to reflect Your heart instead of my hurt. Let others see You in the way I respond, even when it’s hard.
Amen.