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| The Disciple's CROSS for you and for me. |
RESENTMENT
is an ugly word and it leads into very ugly sins.
Bitterness, anger, harsh words, and all the sins accompanying this un-loving attitude reveal the UGLINESS of resentment.
We all have it. RESENTMENT descends upon every person, upon us all from time to time.
Oftentimes, someone we have counted on for help abandons the plan, the help promised... in short, us... and leaves us with an EXTRA load of responsibility and duties.
Sometimes agencies or institutions with-hold something promised or something we THOUGHT was promised, even something we purchased for security.
RESENTMENT develops when we are disappointed and the agency renigged on its word.
When family members do not respond in support,
when our co-workers neglect their part of the assignment,
when the church committee does not show up for the scheduled event or work project,
... then we are disappointed and RESENTMENT settles into our hearts.
Furthermore,
we think our RESENTMENT is JUSTIFIED.
WE did not do anything wrong; we were wronged against -- AGAIN ! And our old companion of Self-Pity rears his ugly head, beckoning Bitterness and Anger to come along. The satan has us set in line, now, for a BIG fall.
SIN lurks at the door-latch,
waiting to trip us.
Whether from un-supportive persons or from an un-responsive institution , RESENTMENT is a natural human reaction when we are hurt and sorely disappointed when NO HELP arrives.
Regardless of the reason for it , we all know the cure for RESENTMENT is repentance.
However... how do we move that great lump in our hearts from RESENTMENT to VICTORY over it, after we repent ?
Yes, REPENTANCE is the very first step. We see that resentment on our part is wrong. It does NOT reflect the love of CHRIST JESUS. It is NOT turning the other cheek, going the 2nd mile.
HOWEVER... we are exhorted to live in TRUTH. So, we must face this resentment head on and prepare for Battle, SPIRITUAL BATTLE in the Name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
We must CONFESS that we RESENT it when hurt and disappointed by our family, our co-workers on the job, our fellow-helpers in the church.
Hastening to REPENT and acknowledging our desire to sin, we must call upon the LORD to cleanse our hearts from this RESENTMENT.
Bless GOD, the victory SOMETIMES comes after this repentance.
Sometimes, however, we are still sad. We may not be angry any longer, but we are still not happy. We remain sober and down-cast in our soul. We are still heavy-laden and the work is harder to embrace.
HOWEVER... the work still needs to be done though, the event still needs to be carried through, the bills still need to be paid, and the big dinner still needs to be cooked, regardless of the missing, promised help.
So we are down-cast, looking at that extra load of responsibility draining our energy, our time, our resources.
NO, DO NOT BE CONTENT to STAY in that down-cast state after repentance.
Here is a way to move into JOY after REPENTANCE.
When others do not do their part and their part is placed on us... tell it to JESUS alone. Talk to HIM+ about it.
HE+ will inevitably ask us one question:
" Can you do this task
FOR ME+ ? "
Immediately, HE+ will bring to mind ALL that HE+ has done for us.
Our response then will be a hearty
"YES, LORD. Of course,
I can do this FOR YOU+."
That is going the second mile, going that extra mile carrying that extra load ... simply for the sake of JESUS.
THAT IS WHEN the JOY re-enters our heart.
It is really HIS+ JOY, as HE+ promised. HE+ will joy in us as we JOIN HIM+ in His+ mis-treatment, in His+ Suffering, and OUR joy will become full ! IMMEDIATELY !
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