February 20
Al Swanson
Do not remember the sin of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness’ sake, O Lord! Psalm 25:7
God, don’t hold a grudge against me for what I have done in the past.
That is a straightforward plea in the psalm that applies to all of us.
Consider what holding grudges means to the society in which we live: drive-by shootings spurred by perceived slights, calls for retribution or payback against those who may disagree or oppose, or the urge to get even with someone for whatever reason, real or imagined.
We are human after all. And having these feelings may well be a human reaction to events in our lives. In business economic terms, balance the costs and benefits of carrying out these feelings. What price do we pay if we let a grudge dominate our thoughts? What will we gain from seeking revenge? What will seeking revenge cost me: a lost friend, a strained relationship, lost respect, or something more?
What if God did hold a grudge against us? The cost to God is a lost soul. No benefit to God there. Fortunately, God is not human. Through our faith, God leads us with compassion and love — love of ourselves, and our neighbors as ourselves.
Psalm 25 is more than a plea to God to forget our past actions and transgressions. It is a plea for God’s compassion and love to deliver us from the past. The challenge for me is not to forget the event, insult, or perceived slight. Rather, the challenge is to put those feelings into the past, forgive, and then live a life of love of God and our neighbors.
This psalm is a plea to the Lord to forgive us our sins (vv. 11, 18) and to relieve the troubles in our hearts (v. 17). It is a plea for God to guide us to follow his lead — the real benefit to God and to us.
Lord, strengthen my faith and bring me out of the distress that carrying a grudge causes. Guide me to focus not on retribution or getting even but on what is truly important — trusting you and loving my neighbor as myself. Amen.
A Covenant of Grace 