“Resentment: Creeping Charlie of the Heart: Overcoming Resentment, Part 2”
My post yesterday dealt with resentment and how to overcome it. However, I am discovering just how deep the roots go, and how wide this obnoxious plant called “resentment” goes in me. Resentment relates to my emotional state very much like creeping charlie relates to my yard. Resentment stays low, spreads rapidly from the roots, and chokes out everything but itself.
For example, . . .
Last night, I was waiting tables at Frisch’s. We weren’t very busy, so I was cut from the servers’ map early. No problem there: Get your side work done, and go home to your sweetheart, I said to myself!
However, we got a slight late “hit” of customers. I was rolling silverware, the last thing I had to do before I clocked out.
Two gentlemen were standing, waiting to be seated. I kept thinking to myself that someone should greet and seat them. Of course, I was someone. However, I said to myself that someone else who was still on the servers’ map could seat them. The guys eventually walked out. I felt bad, but it was only later that I realized that this was yet another manifestation of resentment. I resented being cut early, resented helping my fellow-servers make some more money for themselves. I was wrong. No excuse.
I read a brief, but helpful, article about resentment. It had a wonderful quote. Here it is, along with a link to the whole article.
“Resentment is the cheapest and least legitimate form of anger. It is all emotion and no strength” (https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-resentment.html, accessed 04-21-2017. The entire article is short and helpful.).
Here are a few other quotable quotes that I found helpful in fostering and focusing my desire to overcome resentment. They are all from this very fine internet site: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/resentment, accessed 04-21-2017.
“As smoking is to the lungs, so is resentment to the soul; even one puff is bad for you.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert
“Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
― Carrie Fisher
“They all laughed when I said I’d become a comedian. Well, they’re not laughing now.”
― Bob Monkhouse, Crying With Laughter: My Life Story
“With each opportunity before me, God presented me with a choice. I could accept His offerings, His wisdom, His grace. Or I could choose to hold onto the pain, the anger and the resentment a little longer.”
― Sharon E. Rainey, Making a Pearl from the Grit of Life
“At the heart of all anger, all grudges, and all resentment, you’ll always find a fear that hopes to stay anonymous.”
― Donald L. Hicks, Look into the stillness
Well, that is enough for now. There’s a lot more wisdom in those quotes than I’ve lived out. And foolishness is wisdom that is not being lived out. (I think that’s original, so it probably isn’t.)
What sayings or methods have proven helpful to you in your own personal battle against resentment?
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