Imagine you’re on a long hike, and just as the trail becomes steep, even treacherous, someone hands you a 50-lb bag of rocks. What would you do? Most of us would rightfully find no value in this extra load—the journey becomes more difficult and the hike may end altogether.
Leave the bag of rocks behind.
This is so obvious, except when the bag has a resentment label plastered on it. Why would you choose to carry this extra load?
Resentment is quoted as “drinking poison and expecting someone else to get sick.” This is so true. People who harbor resentment and refuse to forgive look like they’ve been weaned on a pickle. The poison impacts their digestive system, sleep patterns, autonomic nervous system, and muscle tension—to name a few.
Sometimes you might actually open the bag and add more rocks! When anger strikes, or disappointments grow, it seems helpful to keep that rock around for a while to show off to others—especially if the person you identify the rock with in the first place is your spouse.
If you harbor resentment you pay a dear price for carrying this additional load of stress, a load that never adds value. You don’t really want to carry this extra load do you? The good news is—you don’t have to!
Resentment can be let out of the bag with a healthy dose of forgiveness!
One of the most compelling reasons to forgive is because your spiritual vitality depends on it. Jesus linked forgiveness directly to the health of our relationship with God (Matthew 6:14-15).
Make no mistake about it, marriage reconciliation is a tough journey and you cannot afford to cut off your spiritual vitality just when the trail becomes steep.
Unload those rocks of resentment and get ready for a lighter walk.
You can do this!
