How to Overcome What You Don't Want to Overcome

 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7-8

 The very first verses of James, chapter 4, of course, do not apply to us. "What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?" 

Or perhaps not to you. I hate to admit it--but here I will, to the multitude who visit this blog...sometimes I quarrel. 

When I know I'm right

Take for example this election. Neil wants Marco Rubio to win. I know only Bernie Sanders can dig us out of the snowstorm of errors this country created. I'm right. He's wrong.

Once in my life I had a conflict that had no resolution--one that couldn't be settled by the mere fact I was right. My pastor of this time and I did not see eye to eye on most everything. No matter what I did, I didn't seem to measure up. I craved service in my church--but was continually judged as lacking. Finally, I was pushed over the edge, and this normally laid-back lady blew her top. What caused it?

Perhaps it was the time I was asked to step down from choir, or my name was removed from the nominations of deacon or was told, "You have grown so much, but there's still something--can't define it--that isn't right." (How do you fight that?)

I'm sure you faced such situations: A husband refuses to let you sign your son up for karate lessons because... A friend doesn't include you in a girls' outing to the movies because... An employer doesn't give you the raise you deserve because...

How do you overcome genuine hurts you do not wish to forgive?

Here's how.

Submit yourself to God and He will do it.

Yikes. It's easier said that executed (especially when execution sounds pretty good).

Here's what worked for me when I was grievously wounded. I knew, despite my pastor's misjudgment, that when he went to heaven, God would say to him, "Well done my good and faithful servant."

God would say that to me, as well.

Neither of us were perfect, both were doing what we believed was right. So I had to forgive. I didn't want to. My prayer became: "God, make be want to forgive."

Then I thought about it. I didn't really want to be made to forgive. So I prayed again. "Lord, make me want to want to forgive." 

A few moments later, I prayed, "Make me want to want to want to forgive."

Then...

You get the message.

And guess what? I did.

In my above examples from my own life, I had to give a composite of little things I recalled. The real grievance has long been forgotten. To me, a real sign of true forgiveness.

When we resist the devil and draw near to God--well, the rest is gravy.

As for Rubio verses Sanders?

We all know who picked the right candidate.