Oak Hill Church of Christ 9-4-22 Message: "Nursing a Grudge"

Oak Hill Church of Christ preaching minister, Randy Sterling, delivers a message on the importance of leaving the punishment for wrongs to God and living free of the shackles of hatred.

There are times when desiring to be an agent for Justice can be a noble thing. You see the wrongdoing of others, you punish the wicked, reward the good, and set things back to the way they belong.

However, there are times when our desire to punish the wicked can mix with our desire for personal gain. We want to 'win' against our enemies, or 'get back' at those who have wronged us so that they 'know what it feels like' to be in our place.

When we behave in this way, we do not do Justice, but instead, we heap sin on top of sin. Unfortunately, the person who ends up hurt the most in our quest is often we ourselves. We spend time and effort remaining angry, remaining frustrated, and dwelling on the bad memories of our past.

God does not desire such things from His children. God's way of forgiveness is not just to not talk about our wrongs anymore, but to forget that they ever happened. His advice to His children is the same. If we desire to lead a pure and healthy life, we should forget the wrongdoings of the past, not just our own for which we ask forgiveness, but those of others, for which we grant it in the same way our Father does.

If your thoughts are focused on old wrongs and injustices done to you, consider following God's example and letting them go. Forget about the past and embrace a pure and bright future. Leave behind the dark past and its dusty wrongs and injustices. Don't build the house of your soul on your ancient grudges. Build it on the firm foundation of a forgiving, loving God.