Friday Fight 177: Removing Resentment

Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help fight darkness beginning in our minds. Today is FF177.

Last week, we learned how to embrace transition and how our spiritual life grows as we continually surrender. If we are not paying close attention to God, tension can cause another sinful behavior, resentment, to emerge. When our lives are not progressing as smoothly as we believe they should, seeds of resentment can grow. We likely would have similar answers if we reflected on one descriptive word of how resentment takes root. Jealousy, anger, bitterness, or frustration could all be offered by any of us, but it is more complex than that. How does resentment creep into our lives, and how can we ensure it doesn't separate us from God?

Removing Resentment:

Resentment develops when we avoid thoughts that stem from anger, hurt, bitterness, or being dismissed and belittled. Satan comes in with falsely weighted lies to irritate our hurts and cause more pain, which intensifies everything. How can we avoid believing we are justified in our thoughts and actions? Resentment can build in our minds when darkness manipulates and contributes to our stored hurts. Rebound responses can stem from repeated situations of emotional or physical harm. While these are natural feelings that can be warranted, our reactions can be exaggerated. We can end up exploding in a way that causes more damage or will slowly distance ourselves in a counterproductive way.

Consider a relationship, at work or elsewhere, where one person's actions make the other feel insignificant. Over time, even if these actions are unintentional, our emotions can build up and lead to rebound responses. These stored emotions fuel the fire of resentment until it becomes a significant part of us. This is particularly true during times of transition. How often have we felt angry at God for not changing our situation or healing us in the way we think we deserve? If we let our anger towards God prevent us from sharing our hearts with Him, it could lead to us distancing ourselves from His presence. Maintaining open and honest communication with God is a key tool in dealing with resentment.

As Christians, how do we combat this? Darkness desires nothing more than to see us broken and isolated. To achieve this destructive goal, manipulation and lies can settle into our hearts and minds. It's important to remember that the slower Satan works, the less likely we are to notice the subtle changes in our mindset. We might experience a sudden moment of wanting nothing to do with someone, but if we pause to reflect, we'll see that hurts have been building up over time. Ephesians 4:31 advises us to 'Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.' In these situations, we must quiet ourselves and refrain from being destructive until our hearts align with God's Word. Praying until we can express ourselves graciously without all the extra is always beneficial. Allowing God to guide us in our interactions with others is crucial in preventing the spread of resentment. Recognizing our personal responsibility in this journey is key.

Pastor Shannon

New Life River Church