The godless in heart harbor resentment. Job 36:13
Dear heavenly Father, in response to careless words spoken by an old friend or an old hurt generating fresh pain; the spouse who “never” remembers or children who are “always” messy; slow drivers wrecking a well-timed schedule or sweaty people leaving salty pools on exercise machines, resentment never helps, it only hurts.
To harbor resentment is nothing short of harboring a criminal, for resentment is bent on criminal activity—stealing peace, vandalizing sleep, robbing relationship, killing kindness, murdering hope, infecting the innocent with deadly toxins. Indeed, as much energy is being lost by oil spills and nuclear reactor breakdowns, there’s no greater waste of energy than resentment.
But worst of all, Father, resentment is a contradiction—a blatant misrepresentation of who you are and how you relate to us in Jesus. For if anyone has a right to hold a grudge, to keep a record of wrongs done, to rehearse and remember our sins against us, it is you.
Yet you do not treat us as our sins deserve, or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth so great is your love for those who fear you; as far as the east is from the west, that’s how far you’ve removed our transgressions from us. You’re the Father who has compassion on us—your beloved children. (Psalm 103:10-13). You neither show us vexation of spirit nor exasperation of heart, so great is your love for us in Jesus. You only discipline us in love; you’ll never show us disgust unto shame.
So Father, by the love that sent Jesus to the cross and by the power that raised him from the dead, continue to heal and change us. Soften and gentle our spirits. Help us deal with our disappoints to your glory. We don’t want to be godless in heart, but grace-full in heart. Free us from even resenting other people’s resentment. So very Amen, we pray, in Jesus’ wonderful and merciful name.