Things That Rot My Soul
March 20, 2008 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Reading from today’s Daily Reflection “Love and Tolerance” I find the Things That Rot My Soul and – I know, today, that they certainly do just that.
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“Love And Tolerance”
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Fr. Tom taught us that the longest trip I’d have to take in sobriety was the one foot (twelve inches) from my head to my heart and this passage reaffirms that fact.
“I must forgive injuries, not just in words, or as a matter of form, but in my heart.”
How often we hear someone say “I forgive” then follow immediately with “But I won’t forget.” That’s not forgiving!
“I do this not for the other person’s sake, but for my own sake.”
Does anyone remember “It is by forgiving that we are forgiven?”
“Resentment, anger, or a desire to see someone punished, are things that rot my soul. Such things fasten my troubles to me with chains. They tie me to other problems that have nothing to do with my original problems.”
So, by resenting, being po’d at, and by wanting ill will towards, I increase my suffering!!!
Somehow that doesn’t feel like I’m using very good common sense…
I know a few people who could stand to read this post. Plus, I’m glad I read it.
This ties into the post a few days ago about justification – anger is the dubious luxury of normal men. There is so much that I can “get away with” because my “normal friends” can have a flash of anger and let it go. As an alcoholic I can treat my character defects like gifts that keep on giving.
The Saint Francis prayer in the 11 step does good for me in this topic.
True – true – true,
It’s funny that we have such a hard time with this. We forgive to be forgiven – to feel better, and but such is our lust for resentment, even knowing this we don’t want to do it!
I do think you can forgive and still not forget though. Forgiving to me just says that you carry no grudge – that everything is OK between us. But it doesn’t mean that if you have done me wrong that I shouldn’t remember, and learn from that.
We’re still only human after all!