Anger doesn’t just boil, sometimes it simmers!

The dictionary defines resentment as “feeling displeasure or indignation at (a person, act, remark, etc.) from a sense of injury or insult.”  Resentment turns innocent people into adversaries. It eats at a person’s heart. Left unchallenged, it robs the person of the very thing he needs, a network of friends and co-laborers, turning him into an angry, lonely person. Resentment destroys a marriage if it turns a husband and wife into rivals that demand respect and struggle for control in their relationship. “He will never treat like that again,” she declares in her wounded state. He angrily declares, “I won’t be ignored for one more day!”  Employees who feel unappreciated or used will often build a slow simmering resentment and a continuing grudge match with their supervisors.  The company suffers loss of productivity and ultimately everyone loses.

So, what does the Lord say to us about simmering resentment?

He reminds us that we don’t live in Heaven yet!  Since the Fall of Eden, humanity has struggled with a break between effort and reward. Work, a gift of God, sometimes turns into toil because sin exists and hinders the harvest. When we accept that this is the common experience of everyone, we stop feeling like “it just must be me!”  Facing up to the difficulties of life and accepting our weakness opens up the possibility of experiencing God’s power.  Paul observes that at his moment of greatest frustration, the Spirit told him - “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9-11, NIV)

He also demands that we learn to forgive others, even the real hurts they visit on us. Jesus taught us to pray: Father, "forgive us our sins, as (in the same way) we have forgiven those who sin against us." (Matthew 6:12, NLT)  This directive comes to all of us, "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32, NLT)   In one of His most challenging words to us, Jesus says that we must "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back." (Luke 6:27-30, NIV)  He makes no excuses or rationalization for resentment in our hearts, does He?

He further tells us that we find our true value from loving and serving Him. He sees all we do and never forgets. That can comfort and it can be a fearful thought. Today, I encourage us to read it with hope that He knows us, inside and out, and understands the longings that others cannot understand, or for which we may not even have words. IF we will entrust ourselves to Him, we find a peace. The Bible says that "There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:9-10, NIV)  "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." (Hebrews 4:13, NIV)

Here’s the word from the Word. Of Jesus it was written
“Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
‘till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope.”
(Matthew 12:18-21, NIV)

Thank you, Lord, for your patience with this bruised reed!

Give me the grace of rest, the strength of deep faith.

Help me to follow You to victory over sin.

Replace the simmer of resentment with the joy of the Lord.

Amen.