Daily Devotional For Wednesday, May 7, 2026
Good morning and good day Southside! In the 19th century, a French novelist by the name of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos penned this line: “Revenge is a dish that is best served cold.” The point is that it is more satisfying to seek revenge in a calculated and deliberate manner, rather than acting impulsively. This line was then used in the Godfather novels and movies and as well as being attributed to a Klingon proverb in Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan. Even though I am a Trekkie, it is not a Klingon proverb, okay? Forgiveness is not something that comes easy for us.
When we are harmed or hurt, we want justice and sometimes more than justice. We want revenge. Holding a grudge is evidence of such an attitude. Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and hoping the offending person dies. We are most like God when we forgive. We mirror Christ’s character when we forgive .Jesus was very strong and even harsh to those who would not forgive others. Look at Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:14-15:
“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (NASB).
Yes, I know you have your reasons you feel you are justified in being angry, holding on to that anger and even nursing that anger, but it is a spiritual killer. You can’t have a relationship to God if you will not forgive others. There are serious spiritual and relational consequences for harboring a grudge and refusing to fortive. Look at Romans 12:19-21:
“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. (20) ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (NASB).
We all have a choice here. We can follow God’s plan and leave vengeance to Him and thus the one who hurt us, if we do good to them, we “heap burning coals on his head.” Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32.35 here. So, what does “heap burning coals on his head” mean? Paul here is referring to an ancient Egyptian custom. When a person wanted to demonstrate public contrition, he would carry a pan of burning coals on his head to represent the burning pain of his shame and guilt. The point here is that, when we love our enemy and genuinely seek to meet his needs, we shame him for his hatred.
Commenting on this Egyptian tradition, New Testament scholar Bruce B. Barton writes this:
“By referring to this proverb, Paul is saying that we should treat our enemies with kindness so that they will become ashamed and turn from their sins. Even if they don’t, we are doing right. (2) It could signify an act of kindness that would increase an enemy’s sense of guilt. But this interpretation doesn’t fit the context, wherein Paul is encouraging believers to love their enemies. (3) It could mean befriending an enemy so as to win him or her to Christ. Of the three interpretations, the first seems the most plausible” (Source: Bruce B.Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, “Romans,” p. 243-244).
Pastor and author, Chuck Swindoll tells this story about a grudge and resentment experience he had 50 years into his ministry:
“Ministry doesn’t get any easier after fifty years. Even after all that experience, I still have the occasional ulcer-generating church member determined to run me out of the pulpit. I’ve learned to shred anonymous letters before reading them and to ignore anyone who claims to speak for a silent yet powerful faction—oldest tricks in the church—but this one sought to hurt me through my family. That boiled my blood, and I was on the verge of saying too much and going too far with my response.
One day my wife, Cynthia, heard me unloading the verbal truck about the situation over the phone to a close friend. When the conversation ended, I hung up and slumped back in my chair. Cynthia had been down in our bedroom when she heard me and came to the bottom of the stairs. I heard her ask rather quietly, “Can I say something to you?”
I got up from my desk, walked to the stairway, sat down on the top stair, and said, “Yeah.” “Let it go.” She stood there, looking up, staring. “Let it go!” she repeated. Her words flew up the stairs and pierced me through the heart. “I heard your voice, I heard your tone, and I heard your volume way down here from the bedroom. Come on, honey … let it go.” Wise words from a concerned wife. She wasn’t worried about my doing anything wrong, or offending anyone, or even taking any particular action. None of that mattered. She was concerned about what my resentment was doing to me down deep inside. I needed to let it go. So I did” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, The Swindoll Living Insights New Testament Bible Commentary, “Romans,” p. 297).
Christian author Neil Anderson writes this:
“Forgiveness is agreeing to live with the consequences of another person’s sin. You’re going to live with those consequences whether you want to or not; your only choice is whether you will do so in the bitterness of unforgiveness or the freedom of forgiveness” (Source: Neil Anderson, The Bondage Breaker, p. 194).
As long as you hold on to a wrong done to you, you will be overcome by evil and you’ll be victimized by the very thing you’re trying to get rid of. The most bitter and angry people are grudge holders. They blow up at the slightest offence like a volcano or bomb leaving relational damage to those closest to them. So, you have only one choice. It’s uncomplicated yet anything but easy. Learn from Christ’s experience. Let it go. Jesus said from the cross this in Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing”(NASB). Are you always mad at the world or some person, let it go. Why? Because it will not let you go. So, let it go in Jesus’ name.
Assignment: Take a moment to pray. Ask God to reveal to you any grudges you have against anyone no matter the reason. Give it all to God. Let it go. Pray for the people who have hurt and/or harmed you. Let it go. Even if their hurt or harm was intentional, let it go. If you do not, you will be possessed by the evil you resent. People will not want to be around you in time. You can either erupt before the Lord or erupt, either silently or openly to others, and be burned by your own lava. Let it go. Be like Jesus if you want to see Jesus.
Scripture To Meditate On: Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: Heavenly Father, I choose to forgive _________ for ________________. Their actions made me feel ________________. I choose to release all resentment, bitterness, and rage. I relinquish my rights to seek revenge. I ask You to heal the brokenness within me, and I rejoice in my freedom from bitterness and anger. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly