So much of life can be spent spinning our wheels in bitterness. We wrongly think that harboring anger and resentment toward others doesn't affect anyone. Think of one person toward whom you feel bitterness. Write a candid letter to that person, expressing forgiveness toward the end. Throw away the letter, or send it to the person, if you feel God is prompting you. Pray that God will heal your heart, and that this bitterness will no longer seep into your parenting.
--Mary E. DeMuth
This is part of Mary E. DeMuth's guided journal, "Creating the Family You Always Wanted," a 12-week journey in Christian parenting. Twice a week, you'll receive a new journaling prompt encouraging you to think about your family--and God--in new ways. Use these prompts in your own journal or in group discussion. If you're joining this journal mid-way through, you can start journaling at any time, and stay subscribed at the end, when the journal will restart and you can receive the prompts that you missed.
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I, too have thought that as long as I don't react in anger or resentment towards the person with whom I am angry at, that it's alright. But I have learned also that it does hurt and it does affect the human's spirit. It is my spirit that it hurts and affects in a great way. I have wrote letters to people with whom I have felt bitterness towards, and depending on the person and situation, I either have given it to the person or have burned the letter. It does help me to heal as the author suggested. But I may add one thing that I have added in the letter that has helped tremendously, and that is expressing not only asking for forgiveness from the person at the end, but asking that "I" forgive myself.
Today I can choose to forgive myself for my misgivings, or I can let all that anger inside take over my spirit, and eventually hurt and affect my children. I choose to forgive myself so that my spirit can learn and grow.
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