Double Jeopardy

 

By Andrea Merrell

Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

Job 5:2 NIV

I listened to the woman’s story. Through tears, she told me about the abuse she had suffered for years. “My life is ruined,” she said. “Things could not possibly get any worse.”

But they did.

Unable—and unwilling—to forgive her abuser and give the situation to the Lord, the guilt, shame, and condemnation she carried became so heavy she felt crushed beneath the weight.

The anguish deep within soon turned to anger. She developed a victim mentality and found herself dealing with a root of bitterness that ruled her every waking thought and invaded her dreams. It colored her words and controlled her actions. It affected her relationship with others, her self-worth, and her attitude toward God. She found herself living in double jeopardy—persecuted and prosecuted twice for the same offense.

The suffering we go through in this life will eventually make us wiser and stronger if we deal with it God’s way. But allowing it to fester can eventually become worse than anything we’ve actually gone through.

The Bible says, resentment kills a fool and bitterness is like a poison. They can harm you mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—even physically. No matter what you’ve gone through, don’t be foolish. Don’t allow it to ruin your life. Give it to God. Forgive and move on. That’s how you experience His peace and His unspeakable joy.

Don’t wait. Do it today.

Photo by Jurica Koletić on Unsplash

Harboring Resentment

 

By Andrea Merrell

Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who 

does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you.

Love is more important than anything else.

It is what ties everything completely together.

Colossians 3:13-14 CEV

Resentment simmered below the surface like a pot of water. At any moment it could come to a full, rolling boil.

The man tried to hide it, but the resentment he harbored deep inside became obvious in every stressful situation he encountered. And his refusal to deal with it took a toll on him mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually—not to mention his marriage, his job, and all his other relationships.

Walking in forgiveness—the only way to have true peace—means dealing with situations as they arise, not stuffing them down. It’s a day-by-day, moment-by-moment process. Dwelling on unresolved problems produces a stronghold that leads to anger and resentment. Eventually, a root of bitterness takes hold, robbing us of the life God wants us to live.

Forgiveness is a choice, and life is too short to harbor resentment—no matter what. Don’t dwell on the past. And don’t hold on to bad feelings. Let them go … quickly.

As the Word says, Put up with each other, and forgive anyone who does you wrong, just as Christ has forgiven you. Love is more important than anything else.

Today is the day. Forgive and move on.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and Stuart Miles.)

The Pathway to Peace

By Andrea Merrell

Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:37 NKJV 

My emotions bounced back and forth between anger and resentment. My spirit assured me I needed to forgive, but my flesh screamed all the reasons not to forgive: She hurt me. She betrayed my trust. Her words cut too deep.

But the simple truth was … I didn’t want to.

As I tried to pray, my flesh and spirit continued their debate. I argued with God. “I know your Word says to forgive so I’ll be forgiven. But she doesn’t deserve it, Lord.”

Do you?

Those two words were soft and gentle but carried a punch. At that moment, my resolve crumbled. All my excuses came tumbling down. I thought about all the times I had asked the Lord to forgive me. He never gave me a laundry list of all the reasons He shouldn’t. He never questioned whether or not I deserved it. And He never told me to wait or come back another time after I’d had a chance to think about what I’d done.

Unforgiveness is a deadly poison. It acts as a cancer that spreads through our spirit, our soul, and even our body. If left unchecked, it turns into a root of bitterness—a disease that affects everything we think, say, and do. It robs us of our peace and slowly eats away our spiritual well-being.

Forgive and you will be forgiven. Those are powerful words. In truth, none of us are worthy or deserving, but God loves us so much that He gave … and His love just keeps on giving.

We should always be quick to forgive, just as the Lord is quick to forgive us when we ask. When we bless and pray for those who have wronged or offended us, we find ourselves back on the pathway of peace.

Don’t allow unforgiveness to poison your soul. And while you’re at it … be sure to forgive yourself.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and paisan191.)

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