Matthew 5:7 - “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”
In the bible, David was called “a man after God’s own heart,” (Acts 13:22). Why is this? If David did something to be called this, then surely I want to do it as well! We know that he had great faith standing up to Goliath. But Abraham showed great faith as well when he obeyed God to sacrifice Isaac… and Abraham was not called “a man after God’s own heart.” What else did David do? What was unique about him? If you remember, David spent much time running for his life. He was running away from God’s anointed king (Saul, who was trying to kill him) and even when he had the chance to kill his enemy, he did not take it. Instead, his heart was struck with guilt (1Sa. 24:5), and he showed mercy.
"Behold, your eyes have seen today how Jehovah had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. And one said to kill you. But I had pity on you. And I said, I will not put forth my hand against my lord, for he is Jehovah's anointed." - (1Sa 24:10)
David showed mercy on his enemy. David loved and showed pity on a man that wanted to kill him. This is why David was called a man after God’s own heart. If we desire to be a men and women after God’s own heart, we must also learn to love our enemies.
Who is your enemy? Suppose you have none. Think of this – who has (at any time in the past) annoyed you, abandoned you, gossiped about you, hated you, wished you evil, resented you, neglected you? Has there been people who’ve invited others but not you? Are there those that don’t even offer you a ‘thanks’ after doing them good? What about those that you might be jealous of, or had some argument with? Is there anybody in the world that you feel that you don’t care to talk to for any reason? Ok, then those people are your enemies. These are the people we are talking about.
Our command from the Lord with regard to these people is to love them. How, you ask? First and foremost, pray to the Lord something like this: “Father… forgive this person for the sins they’ve committed against me. Do not hold it against them because I do not hold it against them. Cast those sins from them as far as east is from west. I pray that any wrong I’ve done to them also be forgiven me.” If you forgive them of these sins, then surely God will not hold it against them ever again and He will forgive you as well. If you do not forgive them, then God will not forgive you for your sins! (Mat 6:14) Leonard Ravenhill said, “It’s great to stand before men on behalf of God, but it’s greater to stand before God on behalf of men.” And it’s true. We know that because that’s what Jesus does on behalf of us to His Father. Present yourself to God on behalf of those who have sinned against you and ask God to have mercy on them. Cry out for them as Jesus does for us.
After you pray forgiveness for them, pray that God would bless them. After that, do well to them however you can. Take initiative to greet them (Mat 5:47). Give to them when they are in need. Give them an encouraging, kind word. Do this even if they keep treating you like trash and you will start to become as the Lord wants you to be. This merciful, forgiving heart is exactly the same heart that God has. Even though we were once enemies ourselves, He saved us (Rom 5:10).
The people that don’t like you, the people that gossip about you, the ones who don’t care about you, those that use you for what you have… those are people that you need to pray for and love. If you want the Lord Himself to call you a man or a woman after God’s own heart then you have to do as David did and even as God Himself does – love your enemies.