On Resentment

"Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." --Hebrews 12:15

Over the years in my professional and ministerial career, I have many times heard people say something like, "I resent that." But I realized something the other day. I have never heard words like that used by a victorious man.

Resentment simply cannot dwell in a loving heart that is surrendered to Christ. Before resentfulness can enter, love must take its flight and bitterness take over. The bitter soul will compile a list of slights at which it takes offense and will watch over itself like a mother bear over her cubs. And the figure is apt, for the resentful heart is always surly and suspicious like a mama bear.

Few sights are more depressing (and distressing) than that of a professed Christian defending his or her supposed rights and bitterly resisting any attempt to violate them. According to the Bible, such a Christian has never accepted the way of the cross. The sweet graces of meekness and humility are unknown to him or her. He grows every day harder and more acrimonious as he defends his reputation, his rights, his ministry, against his imagined foes.

The only cure for this sort of thing is to die to self and rise with Christ into newness of life. So it would seem that the challenge of the day --- indeed the challenge every day --- is to live life in humble submission to those around me and to my wonderful God.

"Lord, I have all too often seen the destruction caused by resentment that has turned into bitterness--or bitterness turned into resentment. Keep me, I pray, in the way of the cross, the way of meekness and humility. In doing so, keep me victorious, defeating any attempt by resentment to rise up in me. Amen."