What to do with Hatred

I think that most of us know that hate is an evil trait, but maybe we don't know that it can destroy us. It never destroys the person we hate but burns in our own hearts until we can lose our health over it or we will just be plain miserable because we are harboring hate in our hearts. I had a step father that I hated, I even told him so and long after his death, I was prompted to think about what it was doing to me and I had to pray over it for a while and seek forgiveness, and to forgive him for the abuse that he gave me.  It was possible and I have been free from that ugly thing for many years now.  God is very good to us when we come to him with a humble spirit seeking forgiveness and also to forgive others.

1 John 2:9  "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now."

Ephesians 4:31  "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice."

Proverbs 10:12  "Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins."

Proverbs 10:18  "Whoever hides hatred has lying lips."

Romans 12:9  "Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil."

Luke 6: 27,28  "But I say unto you who hear.  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, Bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you."

1 John 3:14,15  "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.  He who does not love his brother abides in death.  Whoever hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him."

1 John 4:20  "If someone says, 'I love God' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen."

We are told to let all these bad feelings go, put them away.  Hatred stirs up strife.  Don't be a hypocrite.  Love our enemies and pray for them.  They surely need it, don't they?  Let us give our ugly feelings to God and let Him wipe them from our heart.  Then we can heal if it has caused us harm, spiritually and physically too.  Hatred causes all kinds of problems in ourselves.  Usually the person we hate isn't bothered with it, so it is only hurting ourselves.  Let's give it up.  Grandma Joan