The Lens of Love: Choosing Kindness Over Bitterness, Even When It Hurts

• By candidasullivan
• June 11, 2025
• No Comments

Today, we have a choice. We get to decide how we want to live our lives. Do we want to complain about everything or look for the blessings in everything? Our lives are like a camera. If we just focus on the bad, we can believe our world is bad. However, if we focus on the good, we see our world’s exceptional beauty and God’s goodness.

For periods in my life, the ugliness of others was overwhelming. I’ve been bullied for my scars as a child and as an adult. Strangers on the internet have sent me ugly messages. One woman even told me that since her baby was like me, she was aborting it. Through all of the ugliness, I have learned that I can take it into my heart and allow it to consume me, or I can dismiss it and allow it to make me a better person. I can be a hateful person, spewing my hatefulness onto others, or I can be kind.

Every day, I get to choose to be kind—despite my circumstances. No one else gets to decide how I am going to act. No one can make me mad or hurt my feelings without my permission. It all comes down to our thoughts. When someone else spews their hate onto us, we can react with love and kindness.

Love is a stronger power. Jesus proved that to us on the cross. Even when the soldiers beat Him and pierced Him in the side, Jesus answered their hate with love. He asked God to forgive them. That is how I want to be. I want my love to be so strong that it touches everyone I meet. I want the joy in my heart and the love of God to radiate from me. I want to pray for those who try to hurt me and give them a glimpse of my amazing God.

1 Peter 4:8 (KJV)
8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.