Daily Devo
Loving the Unlovable
By: Kelly Russell
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. John 15:12
Love isn’t always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes it’s h-a-r-d. When we look at the life of Jesus, we see that His love transcended every trial—not because it was easy, but because Jesus is love. And what is love? Agape love is sacrificial, intentional, unconditional, and faithful.
We were made for this kind of love. We desire it, but we can struggle to extend it to others, or maybe we just don’t fully understand what it means. We pray for God to make us more like Him, and He sends someone we clash with as the tool to transform us. We can be so focused on the offense that we miss the opportunity for change. If only God would do the work Himself. Instead, it’s the bully, the gossip, the person who disrespects or mistreats you—these are the ones God calls us to love.
HEART CHECK: Your actions, reactions, and interactions always reveal where you align with God’s character.
A spirit of submission says, "Have your way, Lord."
A spirit of rebellion says, "I'll do it my way, Lord."
Jesus didn’t just command us to love—He modeled how to:
- Forgive the undeserving
- Serve the ungrateful
- Pray for our enemies
- Give to the needy
Scripture reminds us to love with sincerity. Christians are to be known by the love of Christ. This is what sets us apart from the hypocrisy the world offers. Surely, we want to honor God from the depths of our hearts, not the shallow words from our lips. The love of Jesus isn’t based on feelings or convenience. He loved through betrayal, rejection, pain, and even death. And this I know, Jesus loved me while I was unlovable. I was unaware, undeserving, and unwilling until my path led me to His presence.
No matter what happens, His love is enduring and everlasting. If you are bearing unresolved conflict that has gone on for 20 years or 20 minutes, decide today to take ownership. Regardless of who caused the hurt, your first step is obeying the Lord’s command to forgive. Then, the Spirit of God will fill you with the love of God. From there, we can love others the way Jesus loves us.
I am so thankful for the people who love me when I am unlovable. Lord, use me as an ambassador of Your love. Direct me to the ones who challenge me, knowing that this is Your way of changing me. Amen!
Read: Psalm 139:24, Mark 7:6, Romans 5:5-8, Colossians 3:13, 1 Peter 1:22, 1 John 4:16