Resentment Destroys A Fools

“To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.” - Job 5:2 GNT

If you hang on to resentment, it will always hurt you more than anyone else. Resentment is self-destructive and counterproductive.

Resentment doesn’t make any sense!

If anyone ever had a reason to be resentful, it was Job. He was a godly man, who had everything he wanted…wealth, fame, and a great family. One day he lost it all. Enemy nations killed all his livestock. All of his children were killed. He got a terrible disease. He literally lost everything he had. All he had left was a nagging wife. Then his friends came along and said, “Job, it’s all your fault.”

Though Job had every reason to be resentful, he says in the biblical book named after him that resentment is a bad idea. Job said, “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do”.

Job was a wise man. He knew he didn’t have time to be resentful. He knew it was foolish, senseless, and illogical. If you think back through experiences in your own life, you’ll probably agree. We can do silly things when we’re caught up in resentment. We’ll say things like, “I’m going to get him!” Then we often do the ridiculous to make that happen. When we give in to resentment, we act in self-destructive ways and hurt ourselves much more than those we’re holding grudges against.

For example, I remember one time watching the old comedy act, The Three Stooges. Mo kept hitting Curly on the chest. Curly said, “I’m going to get even with that guy. I’m going to stop him!” So, he took a stick of dynamite and strapped it to his own chest. Then he said, “Next time he slaps me, it’s going to blow his hand off!!”

That’s what happens when we’re resentful…we do really dumb things to try to get even with people. Worse yet, resentment isn’t helpful. It makes us miserable in the process. It never ends with us getting what we want.

So why do it? Don’t hold on to your resentment. Forgive, and let it go.

The Words of My Mouth – Meditation of My Heart

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

When we open our mouth to speak, do we consider the impact our words may have on the hearers? How often do we speak words that produces life? Or does our words produce death? Oh, how today, we hear people or we ourselves use our tongue so loose and speak words without care or concern. We do not stop to think how our words cause hurt and damages the soul of others. Most important, we do not stop and consider that God hears us and will judge us for every word spoken.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment, Mathew 12:36. That scripture is enough for us to think before we speak. God will judge us for every idle word we speak. Now, if God will judge us for every idle word we speak, how careful then should we be with the words that comes out our mouth? God takes what we say very seriously. Even God takes what He says very serious. Remember words are powerful. When God spoke, things happened. There are ramifications when we speak. 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof, Proverbs 18:21. Do we now understand why God said, we will be judged for every idle word? Words have the power to produce death or life. The words that we speak produces a fruit. Something is created or comes into formation when we speak. I know many of us enjoy a good fruit. If the fruit is sweet, we indulge and enjoy it; and if the fruit is rotten or bitter, we are disappointed. The same goes for the words we speak. Listen to the words of God. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it – Isaiah 55:11. Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones – Proverbs 13:19.

No one can see or know the heart of a man, unless God reveals it to them. Many people hold anger, hatred, resentment and bitterness in their heart, and they think no one knows or can see it. Man may not see or know the heart, but God does! What are we meditating on? The things we meditate on, are they pleasing to God? If the things we meditate on were to be exposed, would we feel shame or would we feel joy? Whether it’s the words we speak or the things we meditate on, it must be acceptable unto God. Therefore, if we know that the words we speak or meditate on will not or does not please God, then we need to make a change.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things – Philippians 4:8. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 1 Peter 3:10. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks – Matthew 12:34b.

Confidence IN GOD

And this the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. 1 John 5:14-15 KJV

When a child asks a parent for something, they truly believe their parents would give it to them. There is no doubt in the mind of the child. They confidently believe they will receive what they asked for. Not only do they believe they would receive it, but they expect to receive it.

How many of us truly believe that if we ask God for something we would receive it. The scripture says, ‘and this is the confidence that we have in him’. This confidence says that we believe we will receive what we ask for. This confidence says that we know that God will answer. However, there are some pre-requisites that goes along with asking.

The first requirement to receiving from God is actually asking. Ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not - James 4:2b. The second requirement is believing; But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that waver is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed, James 1:6. Thirdly, we must ask according to His will. Our asking must not be driven by selfish motives. Our asking must be in alignment with what pleases Him. When what we ask for is in accordance with His will, He will hear, and He will answer. Whatever we ask for, should bring glory to God the Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, John 14:13.

Let’s look at a few things that can hinder God from answering our prayers. Doubting – he who doubts let him not think he will receive any thing of the Lord, James 1:7. Wrong motives - And when you ask, you do not receive it, because your motives are bad; you ask for things to use for your own pleasures, James 4:3 GNT. Lack of faith, But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him – Hebrews 11:6

Let’s put our confidence in God, knowing that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he will hear and answer. Let’s make sure, we ask, not just ask, but ask in faith, no doubting and with the right motive. I know we will receive from God, because He is a good Father, and do not forget to glorify His Name.