Grudges are destructive. We’ve all seen the wreckage.
Some have lost friends because of hurts that were never resolved. A former friend becomes just that—a former friend, a persona non grata, because one hurt the other and forgiveness was never sought or granted.
Pride builds a wall as each one waits for the other to make the first move toward reconciliation. After a while, the relationship grows cold and eventually flat-lines. The longer the grudge is held, the deeper and wider the divide grows.
In our heart we know what needs to be done. The question is, will we do it? Will we humble ourselves and either seek or grant forgiveness, whichever the case may be?
But what if our grudge is not toward another person, but against God?
Some say we need to “forgive God”; but God does no wrong, so that can’t be right. God is never in need of our forgiveness, and we are never in a position to grant it to Him.
But the grudges can be real and must therefore be dealt with. But how?
It is not that we ever need to forgive God, but that we should always trust Him. Sometimes that’s hard to do, especially when He has allowed deep trouble to come into our life and stay for a long time.
Trusting God enables us to act on what we know to be true of Him or what we’ve experienced of Him in the past, not what we’re seeing or feeling in the present.
Say YES to God by resisting any anger toward Him, through trust, and activate your trust through remembering.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
(Psalm 42:11 ESV)