“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph. 4:31-32). “Resentment kills a fool” (Job 5:2). “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” (Heb. 12:15)
Heavenly Father, like biting into unripe persimmons, or the bitter taste of pecan shell tannins that find their way into an otherwise delicious “pee-con” pie, or picking and munching on “unadorned” kale… some things immediately generate a “scrunched-up-face” expression, and compel us to spit out the intruders asap.
Father, give us Gospel-tastebuds. Make some things intolerably bitter to us–things that are beginning to taste dangerously and deceptively sweet… like resentment, seething, nursing grudges, getting even, And make other things irresistibly sweet to us—attitudes that, right now, potentially generate a gag-reflex… like empathy, compassion, kindness, forgiveness, gentleness.
Thank you, Abba… you don’t violate our sensibilities, but you are always calling us to yourself—like you did with Jonah, Jeremiah, Job, and Joseph in very difficult chapters in their stories.
We don’t want our pain to open the door to a band of vengeful marauders, bent on pillaging our peace, joy, and hope. Father, as you have forgiven us in Jesus, and love us as you alone can… help us, free us, gentle us.
Make the Gospel more defining than our hurts and sweeter than revenge. Write stories of redemption and restoration, with the pen of our hurt and the ink of your grace. So Very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.