This truism took shape in my thought today:
If there’s any anger in your heart, there is someone you need to forgive.
Do you ever wake up in the morning feeling a bit disgruntled, maybe angry with the world or just plain grumpy? Do you get upset with workers at the office? Do you harbor lingering resentments? Are you just not much at peace with life, with God, with yourself? If so, there could be anger simmering in your mental precincts that needs to go.
Anger is often the by-product of holding a grudge against someone, feeling abused, ignored, mistreated, misunderstood, jealous, envious, or neglected.
Jesus Christ taught his followers to forgive 70 times 7, which means to never stop forgiving. You keep doing it and doing it, not for the other person, but for your own freedom and well being.
Anger and resentment is a disease of the human mind which can lead to mental and physical suffering if not checked and cured.
Anger, generally, is not a good attitude to harbor. Love is what gives joy to life and protects us from harm.
So, don’t carry any mental burdens around today. If there’s even a hint of anger in your mind, it’s time to forgive someone, including perhaps yourself.
Let the anger go, forgive, and enjoy the buoyancy that comes from having a heart filled with love and peace.
There’s a whole recent Sentinel issue on this topic that I’m working with. To me, it seems there are not 70 times 7 different issues that need to be forgiven, but the same few issues 70 times 7 times! I know that my further progress depends on doing this. To choose life, to choose wholeness, is the morning’s privilege and duty. Thanks, Evan.
This reminds me of a recent article in a Sentinel where a gentleman, suffering with physical pain, realized he was not loving his neighbor as he should. He found himself ushering at the door in church having an opinion (and not a good one) of every person who stepped through the door. This really brought me up short. I did a quick mental check and realized I had an opinion (and not a necessarily good one) about several of my neighbors. I just went up and down the street and realized I had something less than wonderful to think about many of them…..and then extended that to my own family. What a wake up call! We should never allow ourselves to indulge in that kind of thinking…..even for a moment. I really strive each day now to see (and love) my neighbors as God sees and loves them….and extend this to my family as well.
Very good food for thought! 🙂
Amen to Susan’s comment about 70×7 for one or two things. I suppose that’s why God’s mercies are “new every morning” — so we can reflect them!
Thank you so much for this clearing sharing, it will bring alot of joy into the hearts.
But what about the others, which may not forgive US ??
What if you feel so much anger against you from other people still for something you have forgiven it yourself long ago?
Is this also my own part now to forgive the other – still angry – person as a non- forgiver, who isnt created by the divine Love??
Do I need to respect anyones anger against me and feel guilty, or do I have to see it actually as a sin, which doesnt belong to the other part??
Thanks for further comments.
Hi Iris,
Those who harbor anger against us have to work that out between them and God. You are not guilty for another’s sin. And you should not feel any burden from it! If so, then there is still something suspect in your thought that needs to be eliminated.
Jesus felt huge hate/anger toward himself from enemies, but replied, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus saw the anger as ignorance, and he understood that ignorance has no power and is no threat. Jesus just kept moving forward spiritually in Love, and said, “Follow me.”
Dear Evan, I would like to add another thought to this. When you wrote:”Anger is often the by-product of holding a grudge against someone”, I realized that this “someone” is not necessarily somebody else, but often is is my own self. I noticed that many times when I was angry, it was really with myself, with life or even with God for not getting what I wanted. So I figured that this also includes a forgiving yourself. Which to me means seeing yourself as the complete and perfect reflection of Divine Mind including all right ideas. Then there shouldn’t be any unsatisfied wants that make us angry. Nicole
“…no unsatisfied wants that make us angry…” I like that! Very thought provoking.