Monday, July 28, 2014
As I mentioned in last Friday's blog, 1 Corinthians 13:5 tells us that "love keeps no record of wrongs." Therefore, it is evident that those who harbor grudges in their heart, have not been made perfect in God’s love. Some of you know or even live with a grudge holder. If you love them and have the freedom to do it, you should bring it to their attention, especially if you live with them. They will probably deny it, but still they could be the reason many of God’s blessings upon your home may be held back, and that includes the love, peace, and joy that go with it. Here is one indication a person may be a grudge holder: They will all of a sudden dislike the work or performance of someone they liked previously. They may give many reasons about why they don’t like what these people say or do, or the way they do things, when all the while the real reason is that somewhere down the line they did or said something to offend them.
Very few people who hold grudges in their heart will admit it. Some even keep a keep a journal of wrongs they feel they have received from others but even those who don't, whether it is hours, days, weeks, months, or even years, will keep fresh in their mind the day someone told them or did something to them. I am probably not the most spiritually perceptive person around, but I see grudge holders often, some even in church. The only thing that keeps me from just holding them by the shoulders and telling them "let it go!" is that there is always that tiny possibility that I could have been wrong in my assessment.
One who is never wrong however, is God. If it is He who has called to your attention that you are holding a grudge, I plead with you to do something about it quickly before you hurt yourself and others even more. Hebrews 12:15 says it this way: "See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Bitterness in the heart is always harmful and can even be deadly. Whether it was his original thought or not, I heard Pastor Paul Sheppard yesterday quote this line: “Unforgiveness (holding a grudge) is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die.” The Lord doesn’t want you to hurt yourself any longer; neither do I.
Memory verse for the week: (Ephesians 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.
