[Love] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV)

I am better when I’m not bitter. I never want that root of bitterness springing up within me again, because getting rid of it reminds me of crabgrass. Now, Alexa (Amazon’s talking assistant) tells me crabgrass grows in the forty-eight contiguous United States, but if you don’t know what crabgrass is, allow me to enlighten you.

Crabgrass is a hard-to-kill weed that has deep roots, but it spreads across the top of your yard. You can pull up a long string of the pesky weed, but you probably won’t get the root. It will return.

I’ve been held captive by bitterness, and its cousins, anger and unforgiveness. A quarrel with my husband, family member or a long-time acquaintance can turn the embers of bitterness into a raging fire in an instant. A memory flashes on the movie screen of my mind. Do I bring it up? Do I throw it back in the face of the one who hurt me so long ago? Do I hold onto that pain forever?

Let’s unpack today’s Scriptures. Love doesn’t dishonor others. Love honors others, even if they don’t deserve it.

Love isn’t self-seeking or easily angered. I fall so short on these statements.  I love Peter, because my short fuse would have pulled out that sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant when he came to arrest Jesus, just like Peter. Even righteous indignation can come out as words intended to hurt.

Finally, we arrive at our topic for today. Love doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. We shouldn’t be able to pull that list of bitter memories up to hurl insults at a loved one. How often do we recall the bitter hurt of yesterday? Until we release these bitter memories, and drown them in the sea of our forgetfulness, we will never be free to love and be loved as God wants.

Friend, God could bring out a long list of wrongs I’ve committed toward others. I hurt someone He created in His image, so my actions hurt God too. He doesn’t do that. He chooses to forget them.

Do you need to release something, never to mention it again? Never to think about it? Let it go. When we ask God to remove those painful memories from our thoughts, we can be free to walk in joy and peace. Best of all, we can be free to love.

Heavenly Father, help me love as You do. Help me release bitter memories and grudges and leave them in yesteryear. Help me move forward in love. Cover my mouth with Your holy hand before I mess up and say something unloving. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

DIG DEEPER

“I, even I, am he who blots out
    your transgressions, for my own sake,
    and remembers your sins no more.” (Isaiah 43:25 NIV)

HIKING THE TRAIL

What do you need to release? What can act as a reminder to never bring it up again, perhaps a Bible verse or something?

RELATED RESOURCE

Do you struggle with anger, unforgiveness, or bitterness? Help is on the way. These are just three of the forms of emotional bondage I address in my upcoming book, Faith That Walks on Water: Conquering Emotional Bondage with the Armor of God. Get on the email list, so you will be the first to know the release date.  Sign up now and get a free 7-day prayer guide delivered to your inbox.

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Originally posted on August 22, 2022 @ 1:00 am