RESENTMENTS... Sunday

Devotional 1/26/14

A grudge is the heaviest weight you can carry.

When we hold on to a resentment is harmful to us, not the person who committed the offense, no matter what it was - from the imagined slight or the tiniest of misdeeds to the most egregious atrocities.  Even when everyone believes you have a right to be angry about what happened to you. Holding that grudge against them does nothing to change them or what they did, yet it poisons our own hearts as it dominates our thinking and holds us bondage. We replay the situation over and over in our heads only to relive the negative feelings and not to solve a thing about it.  It has been said that holding a grudge is like letting someone live rent-free in your head. 

Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple. Job 5:2 (NIV)

So what is one to do? We can only change our own thoughts and actions, not those of others.  We can think about how we may have contributed to the situation or the ongoing resentment, pray for God to help us let go of it, and pray for the one who we feel has wronged us.  Pray for God to bless that person with every blessing we wish for ourselves.  Pray for God to not only bless the wrongdoer but to also help us love the other person, even if we hate what they did.  

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)

Impossible?  By ourselves it is.  But with the Lord's help, anything is possible.  God can teach us to love the unlovable just as he has done with us.  God has forgiven every thing we have ever done, all our shortcomings, and we therefore ought to forgive others who have wronged us.  When we forgive, we are the ones who are set free!

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

written by 
Jan Andersen

There is a wonderful song by Matthew West called FORGIVENESS with wonderful lyrics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1Lu5udXEZI

It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve

It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness