Not your common every day average grudge-holder.
No way.
If grudge-holding were an olympic sport, I’d be the gold medalist and world record holder.
I vividly remember
- The best friend who moved, promising we’d write. I wrote; she didn’t.
- The best friend who dumped me, saying, “I’m not losing anything, I’m throwing it away, because that’s what you do with trash.”
- The best friend who stole my boyfriend and then kept coming to me for relationship advice.
And that’s just 4th-8th grade! (There’s a BFF theme here, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog post!)
Daniel and I married young, so I quickly adapted my BFF grudge-holding skills into DH grudge-holding skills.
He’d say something in five short seconds that I could rehearse, mull, and stew over for hours, days, weeks, months, and even years!
Tunnel Thinking
- I think how valid my point of view truly is.
- I think how noble my intentions were.
- I think how right I (almost) always am.
- I think how pure my motives have (usually) been.
- I think how lovely it would be for everyone to agree with me!
- I think how much I love having people admire me; seeing “excellent!” written at the top of my papers; being praised for my accomplishments.
On my own, I think me, my, I.
On my own, I think self.
On my own, I am self-ish.
A New Train of Thought
Philippians 4:8 offers a radically different way of thinking:
Finally, brothers,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable–
whatever is excellent or praiseworthy–
think on these things.
Get on Board!
We can rehearse thinking “poor me” and “oh my” and “If only I.” We can throw ourselves a pity party (which isn’t much of a party, as nobody brings gifts and the entertainment is terrible!)
Or we can jump on board and get moving from where we are now to where God wants us to be. Where He has plans for us to be. Where He is eagerly anticipating us to be.
We can’t do both. We have to choose:
The seemingly “safe” tunnel of grudge-holding?
or
A no-baggage-needed adventure on a new train of thought?
Q4U:
Leave a comment to be entered into this week's drawing for a copy of Dangerous Surrender: What Happens When You Say "Yes" to God by Kay Warren!
- What does Philippians 4:8 say to you?
- What grudge would you leave behind, once and for all, during The PURSE-onality Challenge?
The PURSE-onality Challenge: 31 days of replacing "baditude" with God's Word and Gratitude!
Click here for more details!