Bitterness Breeds Revenge
Anger is a natural part of life, I suppose. Some situations in life just call for a little hostility to pop its head out once in a while. Though, I believe, sometimes our anger is completely justified, I simply cannot condone revengeful behavior.
I realize that I am not an expert in the field of emotions, but I have experienced the wrath of one who acted out of revenge and anger. I have also become angry myself. Come on, who hasn't become red-faced with emotion! Becoming angry is a natural part of life. It is what we do with the anger that can make it a bad thing.
Unresolved anger can quickly turn into bitterness. This bitterness can cause our hearts to turn stone cold; thus starting a chain of events in our lives that can never lead to contentment or happiness.
We place the blame for our anger on a person or persons who may or may not deserve it. Regardless, the blame is assigned and our mission to get even begins. We won't rest until we have turned the "culprit's" life upside down. We find ourselves doing everything we can to ruin that person or persons.
The problem that I have noticed with this is that it seems to be a never ending cycle. Our actions are never enough to make those who have hurt us pay. We must find new ways to wound them. I suppose that it is like becoming addicted to a drug. With each revengeful act, we become more and more addicted. Acting on the anger only causes us to have more anger. When does it stop?
If a person committed adultery twenty years ago, should that person's job be at stake today because of it? How long should a person pay for mistakes made? Will that person's children and grandchildren pay also?
How many children are put in the path of anger because one parent becomes angry at the other parent? It makes me wonder how a person who takes their hostility out on those precious creatures, who did not ask to be born into a big mess, can even sleep at night. How can this type of revenge feel good?
I know that even though I would never intentionally wound someone, I have made mistakes in my life. Though I didn't mean to, I have hurt people. Knowing that I am not perfect, should I expect everyone else to be so? What would give me the right to expose the skeletons in someone else's closet knowing that I have some in my own? After all, who hasn't made a blundering decision once or twice in life? Who among us stands spotless in a pool of perfection?
I know that I cannot put myself in the category of perfection. Though I do become angry at times, I try to deal with this emotion. I make an effort to forgive trying to avoid the on-set of bitterness in my heart. For one thing, I know that my life will have much more quality to it if I have good feelings stored in my heart instead of bitterness.