Skip to main content

The Consequences of Holding A Grudge

A grudge involves holding resentment because of some real or imagined wrong. A grudge develops when you don’t like the way a conflict ended. Nursing a grudge can lead to revenge. Consider the story of John the Baptist in Mark 6 of the Bible.

Herod was a tetrarch under the Roman Empire. He fell in love with his brother’s wife, Herodias, who was also his niece. Herodias agreed to marry Herod if he would divorce his first wife. Talk about family conflict!

John the Baptist was a rather outspoken prophet who criticized Herod for this marriage. Herod wasn’t happy about the judgment and imprisoned John. He would have killed John but was afraid of how the people would respond to the killing of one of their prophets. Herod wanted to avoid an uprising.

Herodias was angry that John called her marriage unlawful. She held this against John and nursed the grudge. She was so angry that she looked for an opportunity to have John killed.

In the story, Herod has a birthday party. Herodias’s daughter dances and pleases the tetrarch. Because Herod was so pleased, he tells the daughter to ask anything she likes and he will give it to her. Having been coached by her mother, the daughter asks for the head of John the Baptist, thus securing her mother’s revenge. This biblical story would have ended differently had Herod listened to the truth, accepted responsibility, and repented. Instead, a grudge was nursed and revenge was sought.

The take away: Let go of the offense and don’t hold a grudge. The cost to you isn’t worth it.

By Dr. Linda Mintle


Read more at http://www.beliefnet.com/columnists/doinglifetogether/2015/04/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Miriam

Miriam was the big sister of Moses. Her name (sometimes rendered as Mary in English) means 'bitter' although it could also signify 'one who loves or is loved by Yahweh'. Yahweh means 'the self-existent one'. Yahweh is one of the ways the children of Israel referred to God. Meet the family Amram and Jochebed were the father and mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses. Moses was the youngest of the three yet became the leader of the pack (Exodus 2:3-4; Exodus 6:20; Numbers 26:59). Moses was the man who led Israel out of Egypt. As the big sister of the family Miriam knew all the secrets. Women often get to know about things that men don't. When Pharaoh of Egypt decreed the death of all Israel baby boys in a desperate attempt to curb the growth of Israel, Amram and Jochebed put baby Moses into a waterproof basket and set it on the river in an attempt to save his life. It was Miriam who was watching the basket when the daughter of Pharaoh discovered it. It w

What Happen To Your Rulership?

My desire is for women to be restored to their rightful place of rulership of Grace, Femininity, Beauty, Temperance, and Excellence.  Together they work from within and shine outwardly. The enemy of our soul works counterclockwise in that he uses the exterior and destroys what is on the inside. There is a direct correlation between rulership and judgment.  In order to effectively rule, there must be the practice of sound judgment.  When rulership is void of sound judgment, a poor rulership is inevitable.  Rulership is a choice.  You can either rule or be ruled.  Walking in rulership is important because it sets order and establishes boundaries.  God (YAH) has given us rulership over our conduct, appearance, and speech.  These things have rulership over you by choice. Rulership is the difference between YAH's people and the world. Rulership is living the way YAH (God) intended for us to live before the foundation of the world. It is time to take a long hard look in the mir

Time Of Refreshing

Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the  Lord   are  pure words, Like  silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. 7  You shall keep them, O  Lord , You shall preserve them from this generation forever.