The Grudge that Almost Stole Christmas

Hands down, Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love the sparkling lights, the festive decorations and the delicious food and drinks, especially peppermint mochas and peppermint bark(yes, I have a thing for peppermint!). Observing the lights on the Christmas tree twinkling at night while wrapped in a fuzzy blanket and enjoying a warm beverage is the epitome of a perfect holiday evening. 
As a believer, however, Christmas carries a deeper, truer meaning than what is advertised as the meaning of Christmas. It is a special time of celebration because of Christ's birth. The Savior, who was long foretold, has come. That is why we sing joy to the world because the Lord has come bringing good tidings to all. The redemption of man was here. What had been lost in the garden was about to be restored, but what if God would have refused to send His Son? What if sin's curse would not have been broken and no forgiveness offered? We would be lost without hope, and the fear of death would suffocate our soul. But it is the nature of God to forgive all who repent and ask for forgiveness. To those who ask, they will never walk away denied but rather cleansed white as snow no matter how red the stain of their sins. What comfort and really, joy, this brings to those who have experienced it. Because our God forgives He expects His children to do the same when others have wronged them no matter how great the offense. 
One of the classic animated films of Christmas is Dr. Seuss' “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. I would like to play off of that title by proposing how the grudge almost stole Christmas. A grudge is defined as "a persistent feeling of ill will or resentment, resulting from a past insult or injury". Due to our sin nature, we are doomed to eventually say or do something that will hurt someone else. Whether intentional or not, the wound caused by our behavior can go deep and linger long after the incident has passed. Unfortunately, the enemy of our soul often takes advantage of these circumstances by whispering how wrong we have been by this person. His persistent whispers can be the soil where a grudge begins to sprout. Now we have a choice. We can nurture the grudge by nurturing and watering it, consistently replaying the scene over and over again. This choice does come with a cost that should be considered and weighed before opting to move forward with it. This cost is threefold.
A Grudge is Demanding
First, a grudge is demanding. For a grudge to remain in good condition, it requires that you think about it on a regular basis. You must play the offense over and over again in your mind in order to keep the emotions fresh. It means that we are busy running from any relationships affected by this grudge inducing incident. Every time you see this person you either walk away from them or bring up the issue again. A grudge demands to be first in your thoughts and often the topic of conversation. It rarely lets you focus on anything else but causes you to waste your valuable resources of time on things that have no eternal worth. You will be unable to invest in the lives of others because your grudge demands to be front and center. This is a high cost of holding a grudge because it is people we have been called to love and serve, even the difficult ones. My friend, can I encourage you to let that demanding grudge go so you have time to fulfill God’s purpose for your life?
A Grudge is Draining
Second, a grudge is draining. There is a lot of work required to maintain a grudge. It will be draining on the soul as it is heavy by the constant reminder of the hurt inflicted by a person whether intentional or not. There is a constant sorrow weighing us down, robbing us of peace, joy, and love. A soul gripped by a grudge will never enjoy the rest promised by the Savior in Matthew 11:28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Instead, they remain weary and drained of energy to serve their Master. Their days are consumed by the negative effects of a grudge including bitterness, anger, and resentment. This life sounds exhausting, not at all like the abundant life God desires for His children. Sadly, that is the cost of a grudge. It refuses to let you enjoy peace or experience the joy of restoration. How much lighter would your soul be if you let go of the grudge? Please, don’t let one wrong fester inside of you and drain you of the life God desired for you.
A Grudge is Destructive
Last, a grudge is destructive. When we refuse to let go of an offense someone has committed against us we remain in the past. Truly, we can never move beyond that point in time but remain in the shadow of yesterday instead of the sunshine of today. We can never do what God created us to do because we are held captive in the past. The joy of today is the price of a grudge. Refusing to relinquish a grudge is also destructive to our spiritual growth. As long as we hold tight to the offense we can never cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. It is impossible to love others while clutching a grudge. We will never know peace as long as a grudge resides within us. We will never experience joy because a grudge will not tolerate it. While the path offered to us by the grudge looks satisfying at first and initially gives our soul a feeling of justification, the destination is destruction. A grudge is powerful enough to destroy our relationships, growth in the Lord, and our life’s purpose. Don’t let the enemy of our soul con you into taking the path offered by a grudge. There is another option.
The Antidote to a Grudge
Our other option when wronged by someone is to give it to God and forgive the offender. Forgiveness is the only antidote to a soul sucking grudge. The path to forgiveness may not be appealing at first because it goes contrary to our flesh. We have been wounded by someone’s actions or words and we want justice. We desire an apology or may seek reconciliation but sometimes that may never come. Letting go of a grudge does not mean you are admitting the incident never occurred or merely erase it. The hurt was real but choosing to forgive means you refuse to let it hold you back. Forgiveness invites us to take the first step down its path by letting go of what happened. When you do, you are walking the same path as your loving Savior. He who while enduring the agony of the cross cried Father forgive them for they know not what they do.
Forgiving the one who hurt you and loving them no matter what is among the greatest acts of love we can do. We who have hurt the heart of our Savior so often through our sinful behavior and experienced His forgiveness can do no less than do the same. Remember, the only way to look like Jesus is to behave like Him. When we forgive those who have wronged us, we will reflect the beautiful, loving, heart of God.
Don’t let a grudge steal your Christmas or any other season of your life. Your life is too short to be wasted on something like a grudge. Choose the same path as Christ and forgive. When you do, you will experience freedom from the burden of a grudge.