Resentment Hurts You More Than Anyone Else

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES Building My Life on Values That Last

Resentment Hurts You More Than Anyone Else By Rick Warren — Dec 9, 2015 “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do.” (Job 5:2 GNT) If you hang on to resentment, it always hurts you more than anyone else. Resentment is self-destructive and counterproductive. Resentment just makes no sense. If any guy ever had a reason to be resentful, it was Job. He was a godly man, who had everything he wanted — wealth, fame, and a great family. One day he lost it all. Enemy nations killed all his livestock. All of his children were killed. He got a terrible disease. He literally lost everything he had. All he had left was a nagging wife. Then his friends came along and said, “Job, it’s all your fault.” Though Job had every reason to be resentful, he tells us in the biblical book named after him that resentment is a bad idea. Job says, “To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do” (Job 5:2 GNT). Job was a wise man. He knew he didn’t have time to be resentful. He knew it was foolish, senseless, and illogical. If you think back through experiences in your own life, you’ll probably agree. We can do silly things when we’re caught up in resentment. We’ll say things like, “I’m going to get him!” Then we often do the ridiculous to make that happen. When we give in to resentment, we act in self-destructive ways and hurt ourselves much more than those we’re holding grudges against. For example, I remember one time watching the old comedy act, “The Three Stooges.” Mo kept hitting Curly on the chest. Curly said, “I’m going to get even with that guy. I’m going to stop him!” So he took a stick of dynamite and strapped it to his own chest. Then he said, “Next time he slaps me, it’s going to blow his hand off!!” That’s what happens when we’re resentful — we do really dumb things to try to get even with people. Worse yet, resentment isn’t helpful. It makes us miserable in the process. It never ends with us getting what we want. So why do it? Don’t hold on to your resentment. Let it go. Forgive. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Talk It Over Why is it so important to us to have the last word? What are some of the ways you’ve seen lingering resentment hurt you or people you care about? What past hurt do you need to forgive in order to let go of lingering resentment? Our Gift: Sermons for Life Change Vol. 2: The Most Requested Rick Warren Sermons Would you like to live a life of significance? These six sermons have helped so many people live exceptional lives that we’ve put them together in Volume 2 of Sermons For Life Change: The Most Requested Sermons by Rick Warren. LEARN MORE Complete Audio Series (Purchase) Includes all complete sermons from the Rick Warren Building My Life on Values That Last teaching series. LEARN MORE Series Summary Message 1: Choosing My Standards Message 2: ​​​​​Accepting Responsibility Message 3: ​​​​​Developing Trust Message 4: ​​​​Developing Self-Control Message 5: ​​The Balanced Life Message 6: ​Showing Respect Message 7: Offering Forgiveness Message 8: Maintaining Moral Purity Message 9: Showing Fairness PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST

Pastor Rick Warren

Enjoy today's Devotional? Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio. Did someone forward this devotional to you? Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional. This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at rickwarren.org. Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including "The Purpose Driven Church" and "The Purpose Driven Life," read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered across America. This devotional © 2015 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. Update your preferences  |  Unsubscribe