Clinging to anger
I was talking with someone recently about forgiveness and how, when we hold a grudge, we do damage to ourselves. I had a Scripture verse at the back of my head but I couldn’t remember where it was in the Bible. Today I found it:
“Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.
Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?
Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High’s covenant, and overlook faults” – Sirach 27:30-28:7
We cling to anger and hold it tight. We nourish it so that it can grow even greater. What are we thinking?!
“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you” – L. Smede
Reading this I immediately think of my living and friend situation years ago after college but before I got involved with our wonderful YAM community in SD. I was at fault for some things, indeed, with my passive-aggression. In my opinion, they were at fault for just as much, but in a more intentionally aggressive and hurtful manner. Long story-short, I moved out and had to replace practically call my friends cold-turkey.
After several years, after eliminating a lot of vices and adding more virtue to my life, I no longer harbor hate and anger towards them because I’ve come to grips with the situations God puts us in, for the better, for our improvement. What’s the point in me holding a grudge against them? No point. I wasn’t perfect either.
I think the next level of my understanding and healing is that, while it’s easy because we do not associate with each other or the same people anymore, I still have no desire to ever associate with them anymore. I’m sure the feeling is mutual. They do not have any spiritual or religious “guilt” or moral compass. I bear no hate or ill-will. I just don’t want to go through the trouble of ever dealing with them again.
::sigh::
Thanks for sharing 🙂