Hanging on to grudges

Hanging on to grudges

Bible:1 Corinthians 13

Reading

[Love] does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it
keeps no record of wrongs (V.5).

One guy once wrote, “Take away grudges from some people and you remove their reason for living.” Hanging on to our grudges may seem pretty normal, but it isn’t a good idea. Holding a grudge poisons our minds, damaging our relationship with Jesus and others. Yet grudges feel so right! How can we put them down? It feels just like we’re letting other people off the hook, when actually they don’t deserve it! The Bible teaches us that love “keeps no record of wrongs” (1 CORINTHIANS 13:5). Love doesn’t hang on to grudges. When we love others like this, we “forgive as the Lord forgave you” (COLOSSIANS 3:13). When God forgave us, He got rid of our record against Him (PSALM 130:3-4)! How can we do any less? When we forgive, we lay down our grudges, but not so they are forgotten We lay them down so that God can pick them up and carry them for us. Our hurts are important. They matter a great deal to God. That is why Jesus came
to pay for all sin in His death—because it all matters; it must all be paid for. So when we forgive someone, we’re saying we’re going to leave the issue between them and God. Let’s never forget this truth: if they choose to trust Jesus, He pays for all their sin too. “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” (ROMANS 12:19). By trusting our loving Father we can stop clinging to our painful grudges. Instead we have His strength to forgive and leave the matter with Him.

IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE OTHERS THEIR SINS, YOUR
FATHER WILL NOT FORGIVE YOUR SINS. MATTHEW 6:15

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries