Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Peace can be more than the mere absence of conflict or anxiety.
Followers of Christ can enjoy peace in the midst of troubling circumstances because we place our hope in God’s goodness, sovereignty, and unshakable love for us.
• We can seek peace in a troubled relationship because we don’t depend on others to meet our soul-deep needs—God Himself promises to meet them.
This is the second of four articles on Resentment.
Resentment is a spiritual disease that creeps into our lives, puts down roots, and makes trouble for us. The first article in this series, Rx for A Bitter Heart, Part 1: The Disease, explores the destructive nature of this ailment. It also points out the choice Christians make either to follow Christ’s example to love and forgive our offenders or to surrender our hearts and relationships to resentment.
If we’re serious about seeking a heart like Christ’s, we must be on the lookout for signs of bitterness infecting our attitudes and behaviors.
Scripture
Deuteronomy 13:12-15 (New Revised Standard Version)
If you hear it said about one of the towns that the Lord your God is giving you to live in, that scoundrels from among you have gone out and led the inhabitants of the town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods,” whom you have not known, then you shall inquire and make a thorough investigation. If the charge is established that such an abhorrent thing has been done among you, you shall put the inhabitants of that town to the sword, utterly destroying it and everything in it—even putting its livestock to the sword.
This is the first of four articles on Resentment.
Resentment is a poisonous attitude that infects our hearts, contaminates our relationships, and destroys our peace. When we suffer a relationship wound, resentment keeps our pain alive and prevents us from healing and moving on.
A Subtle Sickness
Like a virulent strain of flu, resentment can sneak past our defenses and lay siege to our hearts before we even realize we’ve been infected. In its early stages resentment may seem normal and justified. It can feel powerful, like a weapon we can use to keep ourselves strong and safe from further injury.
Scripture
Galatians 5:17 (New Living Translation)
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
Consider
Our sinful nature is always willing to do battle over injuries and insults we suffer in relationships. Selfish motives compel us to hurt back, punish, or escalate conflict rather than let some wrongdoer off the hook.
