Daily Devotional – Wednesday, March 22, 2023
You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Leviticus 19:18 (NKJV)
A middle-aged woman was suffering from a chronic, painful skin rash. After trying several therapies without success, she questioned her physician for a second opinion. The physician suggested that the skin problem was a result of keeping grudges.
Linking Resentment, Bitterness and Sickness
The woman stormed out of the doctor’s office in anger. She wondered why this ‘quack’ was practicing medicine. A few days later, though, she returned to the doctor. She confirmed that a family conflict had left her bitter and resentful and that the rash appeared around the time she had started entertaining anger against her siblings.
The doctor suggested that the woman should forgive her perceived tormentors and seek God’s forgiveness. She reluctantly followed the doctor’s unorthodox prescription. A week later, she returned to the medic with immense joy. Her skin problem was gone. She was healthy again.
Harbouring Hatred
According to Dictionary.com, “To bear grudge is to have and maintain a feeling of anger, bitterness, or resentment toward someone for something they did, especially a wrong that you think they committed against you.”
Notice three implications in this definition. One, when you harbour a grudge, you suffer from both real and imagined reasons. Two, it is possible you are bitter with may not even be aware you are hurting. Three, only you can end your suffering.
You Shall Not Hate Your Brother
Our Creator warns us against keeping grudges. He says, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:17-18).
According Healthline.com, bearing grudges harms your physical and emotional wellbeing. In particular, it makes you more distrustful or pessimistic, isolates you from others, depreciates your mental capacities, puts you at risk of anxiety and depression, and increases your stress levels.
Therefore, if you want to live happily and more productively, practice forgiveness. Let go of all feelings of anger and bitterness because they hurt you, not the person you despise. Determine never to go to bed while bitter with anyone. Ask God to fill you with His peace and help you love those who hate you. Do not bear any grudge.
Prayer
Dear God, help me not to bear any grudge against those who hurt me. Empty my heart of all bitterness and desire for revenge.
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Indeed grudges are not acceptable in a Christian ,stewing over the frustrating things others have done to us is not good and can also affect us not only spiritually but mentally,for when we are angry intense high-arousal negative emotions” such as anger and stress comes in and those are harmful to our mental health.
We should always let the feelings of anger go and obey the lord’s command to not let the sun go down on our wrath
We also read in Hebrews 12:14-15, “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”
Amen, Doc. Thank you for the insight. God bless you.