Bible Love Leading: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18) 

God’s Love Leading: From the very beginning of time God’s leading was the same. His instructions included loving Him first and then loving your neighbor. This was Moses teaching to the Israelites. God’s people lived within a culture that had opposing values to theirs. The common cultural norms included: “might makes right” and “an eye for an eye.” The scripture passage written above from Leviticus is absolutely radical for its time. The idea of not seeking revenge or at least not making things even or fair was counter cultural.

It's easy to think that life has changed a lot and that the people these instructions were given to were wildly different from us. The truth is that although technology may have changed our hearts are no different from the ancient Israelites. We struggle from the core of our being to keep God first and to let go of pain and hurt from relationships with people. People wound each other emotionally, spiritually and physically and it is hard to get over it. 

Take a few moments to meditate on the idea of bearing a grudge. Who are you holding something against? Why? What happened or what did they do that caused your pain? The Bible says: do not seek revenge. Wow! That is a tall order. There is a part of our beings that yearns for justice. We think we know what is right for ourselves and we seek that. I think the reason God says: “don’t seek revenge and let go of your grudge” is that we always look at things from our self-seeking vantage point. Coretta Scott King quoted Ghandi when she spoke of combatting racial violence when she said: “The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.”

It is important to identify our wounds, and first bring them to God. Let go of the toxic energy and trust the hurts to Him rather than taking them into our own hands. Otherwise we end up acting out in an attempt to bring justice and never resolving the core problem. Ask God to lead you in what to do. 

My Love Leading: Consider the grudge you have right now. Write it down. Pray for the person and situation that you are holding the grudge about. Relook at the situation in 24 hours and see how God has changed your perspective. 

Dear Lord,

I need your help.  I want to release this grudge I am holding so that I can be free to love you and to love my neighbor. But I don’t know how and frankly I don’t really want to let go.  Please help me.

Amen