The longer we live the greater the possibility that we accumulate one of the most dangerous enemies of our souls. That disease robs us of joy, strangles our souls, grows anger in our hearts and destroys our peace. It literally drains the life from our lives. That disease is anger and resentment. It is the silent killer of our souls. 

Every one of us has reason to harbor bitterness in our hearts toward those who have hurt us, treated us badly, failed our expectations or caused us pain. I do and you do. The problem is that this bitterness or resentment that we believe we have a right to and which is targeted at others destroys us far more than it impacts them. It strangles our souls, consumes our emotional energy and creates dissonance in our hearts. The only way to deal with it is to kill it. 

It is human nature to hang on because we don’t want to let someone off the hook. We don’t want to give up our right to be angry and resentful. What we actually want is revenge in some form or fashion, and our hearts silently curse those who hurt us. But in the ultimate irony it ends up destroying us rather than them.

In Ephesians 4:31 Paul says “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” The bitterness brings with it rage, the slandering of those we are angry with and malice, the desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another. Paul says of bitterness and resentment: The only way to deal with it is to kill it. 

CS Lewis says it this way. “Something inside us, the feeling of resentment, the feeling that wants to get one's own back, must be simply killed. I do not mean that anyone can decide this moment that he will never feel it anymore. That is not how things happen. I mean that every time it bobs its head up, day after day, year after year, all our lives long, we must hit it on the head. It is hard work, but the attempt is not impossible.”

Here is the reality. Bitterness and resentment create a prison for us while killing that bitterness opens the door to that prison and creates freedom for us. It is that simple. The choice to hold on to it is a choice to live in bondage. It is sin and it is corrosive to our souls. Letting go gives us freedom and a greater sense of joy.

Why choose to let it go? Why choose to forgive? In the very next verse in Ephesians Paul says, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” You see if anyone had the right to hold on to bitterness, resentment, and anger it was God toward us. Yet he forgave through Christ. And so should we. 

Where are your resentments today? Against whom do you harbor bitterness, resentment, and malice? Free your soul by letting it go: Today, tomorrow, the next day and the next.This is obedience and this brings freedom.

Father, this is a tough one for me. It feels unfair and I prefer to hold on rather than to let go. Help me to let go out of obedience to you and to free my own soul. For this I will need your help. Amen.