When The Door Slams
Do not be surprised, my brothers and sister, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (1 John 3:13-15 NIV).
Resentment is the hate of emotions. It causes our blood to pump and our energy level to rise. But, also like hate, it demands increasingly larger and more frequent activity. There is a dangerous point at which anger ceases to be an emotion and becomes a driving force. A person bent on revenge moves unknowingly further and further away from being able to forgive, for to be without the anger is to be without a source of energy.
That explains why the bitter complain to any who will listen. They want--they need--to have their needs fanned. That helps explain the existence of the KKK, the Proud Boys, the Skinheads, and other hate organizations. Members of these groups feed each other's anger. And that is why the resentful often appear unreasonable. They are addicted to their bitterness. They don't want to surrender their anger, for to do so would be to surrender their reason to live.
Think about this: Take bigotry from the racist and what does he have left? Remove revenge from the heart of a zealot, and her life is empty. Extract chauvinism from the radical sexist and what remains? Resentment is like hate in another way, too. Hate can kill the hater. Anger can kill the angry. It can kill physically. Chronic anger has been linked with elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure and other deadly conditions...Hatred is the rabid dog that turns on its owner. Revenge is the raging fire that consumes the arsonist. Bitterness is the trap that snares the hater.
And mercy is the choice that can set them all free. In the words of Paul: "We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him..." (Romans 8:28). God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.
Affirmation: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice (James 3:13-16 NIV).
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the LORD and thank Him for His forgiveness.
Never Rest Ministries
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