Does This Describe You?
In preparing for Polishing the Pulpit I came across a term that intrigued me. The term describes a feeling that has been in our world almost from the beginning of time. Cain suffered from it. Esau had a bad case. David’s brothers had a touch of it. King Saul really had it! I have friends who suffer from it today.
I read a little story that talked about a disease called “grudgitis” and gave an example of how one creature dealt with the disease.
A grizzly bear lumbered into a clearing where garbage had been dumped. Tourists noticed that there was only one animal the grizzly would permit to eat with him – a skunk. Doubtless he resented the skunk’s brazen impudence. He could have easily won a fight with the two-tone intruder. But he didn’t. Why? Because he knew the high cost of getting even.
It went on to say…
Smart grizzly. Much smarter than the thousands of humans, who spend weary days and sleepless nights brooding over resentments and inventing ways to get even.
(I plan to use this story in one of my lessons at PTP, so if you come to that session I’m teaching, please act like you’ve never heard it before.)
As I prepared for the lesson, I began to wonder if this term didn’t describe some people I know in the Lord’s church. Something that was said or done many years ago, or maybe in the not too distant past, has caused a bad case of grudgitis and we just can’t get over it.
Let me quickly describe just a few of the things this terrible disease can cause:
- It often changes who you are and how you act.
- It can make you physically sick.
- It occupies too much of your thought time.
- It separates you from people you should love, and causes you to become a politician trying to win people to “your side.”
- It causes splits in families – physical and spiritual.
- It may cause the loss of your soul.
Those are dire consequences for a disease we don’t have to suffer. There is a cure. It will take some work, but with God as your guide it can be accomplished.
Does this describe you? If so, begin today letting go of feelings that have haunted you and kept you from being the Christ-like person you should be. Remember, you are only responsible for your thoughts and actions. I don’t want a grizzly bear to be smarter than I am!
“If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Rom. 12:18)
Receive All Our Posts Via Email for Free
AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
