Hating People and Why That's Bad

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J.M.J.



So. This post is really hard for me to write. It's hard for me to admit to you that I have hated people before. Forgiveness is something that I struggle with, especially when the person doesn't apologize. I struggle to forgive when the person doesn't even think that he or she did something bad. I struggle to forgive when that person is walking around somewhere, perfectly oblivious to the fact that I am letting him or her make me miserable. 

It sounds crazy, right? To let someone have that kind of power over you? In a way, it is. Christ asked me to forgive, and sometimes I hang on to offenses like they're going out of a fashion or something. In my life, grudges do need to go out of fashion.

Because you see, I have purpose in life. I have passion, and I don't want it to be continuously marred by hatred. Now I'm going to tell you something that may surprise you. 

I loathed myself. For years. For more years than I care to admit. The reasons are many and complicated, and I'm still discovering some of them. But it all goes back to things that people said about me or how they treated me, and I internalized it all. Now, these individuals said things off-handedly, or in the heat of the moment. Things said in the "heat of the moment" are some of the most damaging things. I should know. I have said them plenty myself.

I will share with you that I have also been hated. It is hard to forgive someone that hates you to your face. That blames you for their miserable life. That yells at you, calling you names and wishing you to hell. Those are the leeches that I need to forgive. The ones that sucked the life out of me, desperately wanting what I had, and unwilling to work for it themselves.

Hopefully you're getting from all of this that hating people is bad. The reasons I think are pretty clear. I have a choice. I can be miserable about other people's actions. Or, I can choose to not let it bother me. I will try to choose the latter, with Christ's help, each and every day.

To Jesus through Mary,
Stephanie

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