Can bitterness be beaten? Redeeming Emotions (4)
You’ve probably been in the company of someone who is bitter as the result of significant hurt or disappointment in the past. It could be that the company is your own – and that try as you might, you can’t keep your mind from replaying scenes which cause you anger and emotional pain. That smouldering resentment becomes a deeper and deeper bed of bitterness. So what is bitterness? Gregory Popcak has suggested that ‘Bitterness is unforgiveness fermented’ – and I think that is richly suggestive. Perhaps the most famous example of bitterness in the Bible is...
Read MoreManaging Monday: Some final (for a while) Augustine quotes…
February is drawing to a close all too quickly. Here are a final set (well, for a while) of three Augustine of Hippo (354-430) quotes to help us manage Monday. Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. People travel to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean; and they pass by themselves without wondering. Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances,...
Read MoreIs it possible to forgive? Redeeming emotions (3)
We all know that we are supposed to forgive others. Provided the offence against us has been minor, it might be relatively easy to do. ‘We all make mistakes,’ we’d say philosophically, and let the matter drop. But sometimes it is not so easy. Not all offences fit into the trifling category. Some will impact us until our dying day. Is forgiveness then possible? We started this redeeming emotions series with two posts on anger. Today we shift our focus to the question of forgiveness, and the healing of emotions that might need to take place before that is possible. What might...
Read MoreAnger for the rest of us… Redeeming Emotions (2)
The first post in our redeeming emotions series looked at the anger of Jesus, and the way he used it redemptively. I imagine many who read it thought – ‘all very well for Jesus. But what about anger for the rest of us? Is there any way that it can move from the deficit side of the ledger to being a positive in our life?’ It is a pertinent question. We live in an angry age. It may show itself in very obvious ways – family violence, warfare, bullying. Other forms are more subtle – sarcasm, cynicism, depression (which is sometimes anger turned inwards) and our...
Read MoreManaging Monday: Insights from Augustine
Each Monday in February we are looking at 3 different Augustine of Hippo (354-430) quotes. Hope this weeks selection speaks to you… Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love, and the future to God’s providence. The truth is like a lion. You don’t have to defend it. Let it loose. It will defend itself. In my deepest wound I saw your glory and it dazzled me.
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