Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,
yet a sinner holds on to them.
-Sirach 27, NRSVCE
What makes us hold on to our resentments? Why do we hold on to so much anger that eventually consumes us and poisons our very hearts?
Maybe we think we are justified in doing so, and maybe we are. Maybe we got hurt really bad that we’re afraid of being hurt again. Yet along the way, as we keep these thorns within our hearts, they continue to hurt us even more.
Even as we pray, we can’t find healing. Even as we ask for God’s love, we are still left in the dark.
But let us remember that love cannot be received in halves. You either surrender to it fully and let it wash over your soul or you try to hinder its flow as you allow your resentments to block your healing.
Which will it be then? What will you choose?
Would you allow your resentments to rule over you, to rob you of happiness and to lead you farther and farther into the dark? Or will you allow love to heal you, to bring you joy and to lift you higher into the light?
I had to conclude that God’s mercy and forgiveness have nothing to do with Divine wrath; instead, mercy and grace diminish human wrath and gradually destroy it. – All Shall Be Well
The thing about hope is that it’s a positive force that shines the most when it’s dark. When everything’s going well, we hardly notice it’s there. But when things go against us, when our dreams fade and when we see no immediate reprieve from our troubles, that’s when hope does its best work for us.
"Where Hope Can Be Found"
One reply on “Letting Go of Resentments”
There are certainly a lot of details like that to take into consideration. That is a great point to bring up. I offer the thoughts above as general inspiration but clearly there are questions like the one you bring up where the most important thing will be working in honest good faith. I don?t know if best practices have emerged around things like that, but I am sure that your job is clearly identified as a fair game. Both boys and girls feel the impact of just a moment?? pleasure, for the rest of their lives.