Resentment is subtle. It’s not full-blown anger or hatred. We can still communicate with someone, even live with someone, while feeling resentful. Resentment feels like a tarnished penny that you find on the ground. It still has value and functions but it is tainted by the world.
We can uproot resentment in our thinking! And then we can feel like a shiny penny with joy, love, compassion and vitality.
Here’s one way I did this:
A couple of weeks ago I was feeling resentful. I felt like I was being put upon by someone else and that weren’t being compassionate and considerate of my feelings and the things that I needed. This resentment was a sort of “poor me” attitude and a self-justification on why I had the “right” to feel this way. And everything I did came with a burden – tasks that had been completed suddenly came unraveled, annoyance and discontent were manifesting throughout my household, and my thoughts and outlook on life had gotten bitter.
This went on for a couple of days until I knew that I had to pray about it. Feelings such as these do not come from God and so they are lies, something that we don’t need to be deceived by; and we can conquer the deception of these lies through prayer.
As I prayed, I saw that God really is the one Mind; and this Mind (a synonym for God in Christian Science) is governing and controlling every aspect of our being with perfect intelligence. There isn’t my will, a my family member’s will or a co-worker or church member’s will. There is only God’s will. Everything is governed and controlled by God with divine intelligence, fairness, compassion, mercy and love. And God’s guidance blesses everyone!
I had to be willing to see the good in this situation – all the ways that I was blessed because of it including ways that I was growing and things I was learning. I knew that I couldn’t be left out of what God was doing. If God was blessing others, then I was being blessed, too.
“What is it that harms you? Can height, or depth, or any other creature separate you from the Love that is omnipresent good, — that blesses infinitely one and all?” (Mary Baker Eddy’s Miscellaneous Writings 1883-1896)
With this realization, all resentment melted away. This time in my life became extremely valuable. My household became smooth and harmonious again; tasks were completed in a timely way, and I felt the joy and promise of good again. I learned a lot; I grew in compassion; I feel more at peace; and I know that I am and everyone else is always included in God’s love and blessings.
Spirituality & Healing 