Love…does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.

I Cor.13:4-5

Another version of this verse is “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” I once had a client who actually kept such a record. Helen seemed like a very sweet person, but I soon found out underneath the sweetness was a bitterness equal to that of any person I had ever seen. And for years she had maintained a notebook full of all the wrongs that had been done to her. It was divided into sections: “What People Have Said About Me” and “What People Have Done to Me.” She added to her lists regularly, and she read them often. And of course, she was miserable!

In visiting with her I shared with Helen my observations of her life. In time, Helen saw what her resentments had done to her. She realized she had been becoming like those she hated. And so she began the process of giving up her bitterness. She prayed for her offenders and forgave them. She asked God to take over the business of revenge. Most important, she threw away  her notebook-and asked God to help her also throw away  the list of wrongdoers from her mind.

Thought:  I will choose to throw away my “hit list” of grudges today.