Resentment: Is It Worth It? Matthew 6:14&15

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14&15

There is a song both made by Beyoncé Knowles and Jasmine Sullivan called “Resentment”. Beyoncé performs it in these words:

Just can’t seem to get over the way you hurt me
Don’t know how you gave another who didn’t mean a thing, no
The very thing you gave to me
I thought I could forgive you and
I know you’ve changed
As much as I wanna trust you I know it ain’t the same
And it’s all because you lied

I only give you a hard time
‘Cause I can’t go on and pretend like
I haven’t tried to forget this
But I’m much too full of resentment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAI8R3l8YE8

It is a lyrical, terribly poetic song. How does a person get to the place where they not only have a bit of indignation toward another, but they are full of resentment. Not a little, not half, but full. Full love, full hope, full faith, full just about anything comes over time. When an action is done against you and it is manifest in your heart, without immediate forgiveness, there inevitably develops resentment. No one intends to brew a pot of unadulterated, maxed capacity resentment, but it happens. When you think about it, sleep on it, and just go on without forgiving. This is dangerous and must be taken seriously.

Often we feel we can not address a problem because it has become bigger than us. Now we know forgiveness is not so the other person feels better. It is for you, because the personal repercussion for not administering forgiveness immediately is resentment in the heart. Resentment turns into something that is hard, unwilling, unloving, and ultimately puts God’s forgiveness of you in jeopardy.

As Jesus was teaching this principle to the multitudes, I can imagine Him discerning the wickedness in the hearts of the people. There was wickedness in their hearts as a result of grudge holding and unwillingness to let go and move on. Here it is Jesus, teaching the people the essence of why He came and died for our sins. He came to forgive our sin and throw it into a see of forgetfulness. Now if He can do it, certainly we can too.

Share your testimony on getting through a forgiveness process and how you won the war against resentment. Or, if you need help, prayer, or deliverance regarding resentment, share that too. You don’t have to do it alone. God is with you.

~In Christ,

Caarne White