Thursday - do not condemn

Prayer:   Divine Healer,  help us not to carry grudges in our hearts.  Help us to give You these grudges so that our hearts and souls can be filled with Your glory and love.  Amen.

Topic #2:  Do not condemn

 

In the New Testament Greek,  “do not condemn” means a judgement that is bordering on fanatical.  An example  would be two neighbours who have argued over a  land dispute for years and years and will not talk to each other nor will not allow their families to talk to the neighbours because of sheer anger. 

Most of us would look at this example and think what a bunch of fruity nut bars the neighbours are to get this angry and to carry around this much anger.     But,  unfortunately,  even in the Church this type of anger is present.   This type of anger or grudge festers and grows like a weed choking out the glory and goodness of God.

Rev Steve Haughland of  The Buffalo Trail Cluster Congregations in Alberta frequently sends out an e-mail to family and friends on his ministry with the Buffalo Trail Cluster as well as the work at Jam Tarts Restaurant that he and his wife, Trudy,  own in Killiam Alberta.    This week,  Rev Steve Haughland found an awesome quote that illumines this Topic.      The quote is taken from Michael Josephson’s blog  What will Matter (www.whatwillmatter.com)

“As we are at the start of the New Year ,  it's a good time to clean out the clutter in our lives. That means disposing of useless papers and unused stuff but also throwing away old grudges.   The prevalence and durability of grudges proves Maya Angelou's observation that people don't always remember what you said or did, but they do remember how you made them feel.  Grudges are nothing more than toxic memories of how someone made us feel.    But Confucius taught that "To be wronged is nothing unless we continue to remember it." So why do so many of us choose to consciously preserve and revisit toxic feelings that detract from our happiness?   Perhaps we fool ourselves into thinking we can inflict some sort of pain on the person who wronged us. In fact, holding on to a grudge is like holding on to a hot stone. It doesn't hurt the stone or the person who gave it to us; it only hurts the one holding it. Carrying a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee.    It doesn't matter how justified the bitter feelings are or how right we are. Holding on to a grievance turns pain into suffering. In a peculiar way it empowers the wrongdoer to hurt us again and again.   So start out this New Year  by giving yourself a great gift. Muster the good sense and strength to root out and release deep-seated and long-held resentments.  Forgive and forget. But all that's really necessary is a firm decision to let go of your grudges so you can move forward and free yourself of the chains of resentment”.  (Michael Josephson    www.whatwillmatter.com)

Thanks Rev Steve Haugland for your wisdom and for the depth of inspiration that you read, do, and share.   And if anyone is ever in Killiam Alberta,  drop into the Jam Tarts Restaurant and say Hi!

Prayer:  Great God,  we thank You that we are able to come to You at any time and anywhere and unburden our hearts.   You accept our burdens and grudges and make us whole.    Continue to heal us each and everyday O Lord.   As we come and pray before You we know that You continue to heal us and give us Your Strength, Your love,  Your healing,  and Your wisdom so that we can share You with others this day.  Amen.