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Blessings upon blessings
Resentment is subtle. It’s not the same as 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, but it’s tainted by the world.
We can uproot resentment in our thinking. And then we can feel like a shiny penny, sparkling with joy, love, compassion, and vitality.
Here’s one way I did this. A couple of months ago I felt as if I were being put upon by someone else. As I saw it, this person wasn’t being compassionate and considerate of my feelings and the things that I needed. The resentment was a sort of “poor me” attitude and a self-justification for 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 appeared throughout my household, and my thoughts and outlook on life became bitter.
This went on for a couple of days until I realized that I needed to pray about it. Feelings of resentment and bitterness do not come from God, which means we don’t need to be deceived by them. We can conquer the deception of these lies by recognizing the spiritual facts of the situation.
As I prayed, I saw that God really is the one Mind, and this Mind (a synonym for God) is governing and controlling every aspect of our being with perfect intelligence. There isn’t my will, a family member’s will, or a co-worker’s or church member’s will. There is only God’s will. Everything is governed by God with divine intelligence, fairness, compassion, mercy, and love. And God’s guidance and will is always good and blesses everyone.
I had to be willing to see the good in this situation, including the ways in which 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. As Mary Baker Eddy writes: “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?” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 8).
With this realization, all the resentment melted away. My household became smooth and harmonious again, tasks were completed in a timely way, and I felt the joy and promise of good again. By allowing resentment to melt away, I grew in compassion and felt more at peace. I know that I am and everyone else is always included in God’s love and blessings.
—Lindsey Biggs, Bend, Oregon, US