Doubting Lyle

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Does God hold a grudge against those who are angry with or hold a grudge against him? I have a facial deformity that has kept me distant and mistrusting of God for most of my life. I have blamed God for allowing my malady to happen.

At 62, I find myself going to Al-Anon meetings because of alcohol addiction in my family. One of the reoccurring themes is handing over our problems to God - let go and let God is the exact slogan. I find that my forward progress is somewhat limited because I have this deep-seated mistrust that God has my back. If he allowed my deformity, what other negative things await me?

On one hand, I have a willingness to let go, but it is counteracted upon by my ego, inner voice, something that won't let me release the anger and resentment I still hold.

Does God withhold grace and rewards from those who are angry and resentful of him?
 
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Tolworth John

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Does God withhold grace and rewards from those who are angry and resentful of him

No. God is not petti or vindictive he is interested in far bigger things than making you miserable.

At the same time, let go and let God is a lie.
God wants you and everyone else to put there faith or trust in Jesus. To say I' m sorry for my sin and I want to follow Jesus.
God will give you right up to the moment before you die to do that. If you don't you get expelled from his presence into what is called hell.
If you accept Jesus you end up in God's place.

That is a simple version of Christianity. There is no letting go we have to struggle to follow Jesus.
 
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RaymondG

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There is no letting go we have to struggle to follow Jesus.
False, In Christ there is liberty.....no more entanglement in yokes of bondage. If we choose not to cast our cares on Him....It is our doing, not His.

Let go and let God, indeed.....or you can keep it and struggle with it yourself.
 
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Doubting Lyle

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If you believe that He will withhold blessings and rewards from you because of your anger......He Will.
That answer seems to indicate that we create our own reality through our thoughts and our mindset. Very similar to the Law of Attraction concept. Maybe coincidental, maybe not. Are you into the LoA? I find it intriguing, but also far-fetched.
 
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RaymondG

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That answer seems to indicate that we create our own reality through our thoughts and our mindset. Very similar to the Law of Attraction concept. Maybe coincidental, maybe not. Are you into the LoA? I find it intriguing, but also far-fetched.
i dont know too much about LoA but this is what I do know?:

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:"
"And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

So, you see, it seems to matter what you think and believe......Therefore, Whom do you say I AM?
 
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NerdGirl

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Does God hold a grudge against those who are angry with or hold a grudge against him? I have a facial deformity that has kept me distant and mistrusting of God for most of my life. I have blamed God for allowing my malady to happen.

At 62, I find myself going to Al-Anon meetings because of alcohol addiction in my family. One of the reoccurring themes is handing over our problems to God - let go and let God is the exact slogan. I find that my forward progress is somewhat limited because I have this deep-seated mistrust that God has my back. If he allowed my deformity, what other negative things await me?

On one hand, I have a willingness to let go, but it is counteracted upon by my ego, inner voice, something that won't let me release the anger and resentment I still hold.

Does God withhold grace and rewards from those who are angry and resentful of him?

God isn't a person, so it's not always useful to try and reduce him to human traits, like "holding a grudge".

I have similar fears to yours. My life sometimes feels as though it's been one hardship, one heartbreak, one trauma, one crisis after another. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to just "live life", without being under constant stress or illness or grief or worry. Is God up there, hand raised, poised to smite me down with another misfortune the moment I dare to smile too much or feel happy?

Of course not. But I struggle with those thoughts sometimes anyway. That's not His doing, though. That's my own frail, human mind.

I will say this: God is way, way bigger than any anger or resentment you may have. Think of a father with an angry child. That child may scowl and stomp and holler and roll around on the floor in an angry fit. Is the father somehow unable to handle this? Of course not! He's bigger, stronger, wiser. Is the father going to become equally enraged and start having a tantrum? Nope! He's older, more patient, more understanding. He sees the bigger picture. And most of all, he loves his child immeasurably.

The child may need correction or discipline. But the father will never act out of rage or vengeance or spite.
 
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A_Thinker

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Does God hold a grudge against those who are angry with or hold a grudge against him? I have a facial deformity that has kept me distant and mistrusting of God for most of my life. I have blamed God for allowing my malady to happen.

At 62, I find myself going to Al-Anon meetings because of alcohol addiction in my family. One of the reoccurring themes is handing over our problems to God - let go and let God is the exact slogan. I find that my forward progress is somewhat limited because I have this deep-seated mistrust that God has my back. If he allowed my deformity, what other negative things await me?

On one hand, I have a willingness to let go, but it is counteracted upon by my ego, inner voice, something that won't let me release the anger and resentment I still hold.

Does God withhold grace and rewards from those who are angry and resentful of him?
So ... I'm going to address your anger/resentment/distrust toward God.

It is, likely, true that ALL OF US ... live something other than what we would call a perfect life.

I have had some significant challenges to overcome in my life, ... and it is with the help of God that I have.

You wouldn't know it to look at me, ... but there have been challenges which have reared up ... which challenged my dreams of just living a rather ordinary life.

And even as God was leading me through, ... I would often feel that I was derived ... from living life the way every other person did. But God was faithful, even when I was not, and He wrought in my life all that I had wished for.

If the photo is you, it appears that God has brought you a long way.

As I consider my life, God reveals to me that a lt more was good for me, than was against me.

First, I, an African-American, was born immediately following the Civil Rights era. So, I didn't experience the horrors of slavery, nor lived in the period where blacks were consistently denied Civil Rights. I was born after the lynchings stopped, and after most of the activities of the KKK phased out. I was able to get a good education, and a good job, and grew up in an intact family with a good mom and dad.

I have been able to marry (something I despaired of for a time), and to raise a family and enjoy grandchildren. I have gifts and hobbies that I enjoy. Most people appreciate/respect me ... and I have grown to appreciate/respect others in return.

Compared to the other 7 billion people in the world, I have been pretty blessed. Things have not always been exactly to my liking, ... but they have been good enough. And it's been 60 years ... that's a long time in this world, where any day, I could have off a curb and been hit by a bus.

FWIW, God loves you ... and understands your feelings towards Him. He gave His Son's life to make you a child of His, and He yearns to know ... and to bless you. God holds no grudges against His children.
 
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Newsgurl

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No God does not get angry or hold a grudge against anybody. He loves everybody for who they are. All He’s waiting for is to come to Him and accept the way God made us and embrace it. You may not know this yet but your story could help someone else going through the same things you are and could change their life for the better. My story helped out a lot of ppl struggling to find a relationship with God but all you got to do is accept that God made you this way even though you can’t see the beauty in yourself but God can. All of his children are beautiful, you just got to love yourself and God.
 
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Junia

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False, In Christ there is liberty.....no more entanglement in yokes of bondage. If we choose not to cast our cares on Him....It is our doing, not His.

Let go and let God, indeed.....or you can keep it and struggle with it yourself.
I
Amen!

His yoke is easy and His burden is light

Life isn't easy, but He goes through it with us
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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God's retribution is quick and his judgement is swift. There is no reason why God needs to "hold on" to bad things. This is true in the OT as well as the NT. God does His judgement and moves on. He doesn't linger and linger on how people have sinned against him. When God speaks, His word is final.

You might find yourself out of God's good graces, but he is quick to forgive.

Further, sanctification is a process, not a destination. We are never going to be perfect before we die. We all struggle with different sins because it is part of our nature as human beings.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Just keep bringing it to God. Let Him work in you the miracle of "being saved".

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
 
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tturt

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God doesnt hold grudges but sometimes we hold them against Him. Seems when we have strong emotions about something that happened or didn't happen which results in us feeling betrayed and/or disappointed in God is when the grudge happens. We feel justified in our decision. But as believers we know how important it is for us to forgive (Lord's prayer). Know it isn't easy.. Forgiveness isn't a feeling - it's making a willful choice. I have to remember that this isnt heaven and "those things" - those trials and tribulations are going to happen John 16

As His, we have God's promises. Here's just 3 of them::
-"Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit." Psa 34:18
-"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14
-"For the Lord God helps me; therefore have I not been ashamed or confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame." Isa 50
 
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Tolworth John

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False, In Christ there is liberty.....no more entanglement in yokes of bondage. If we choose not to cast our cares on Him....It is our doing, not His.

Let go and let God, indeed.....or you can keep it and struggle with it yourself.

There is freedom from sin in Jesus, but it is never let go and let God.
We are responcible beings, responcible for what we say and do, we cannot blame God for our words or deeds.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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That reminds me of someone at the end of their rope calling for help. A voice comes from above “do you trust me?” “oh yes Lord, I trust you” is the reply. “If you really trust Me you will let go of the rope your holding on to” the final reply “Is there anyone else up there?"
 
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Does God hold a grudge against those who are angry with or hold a grudge against him? I have a facial deformity that has kept me distant and mistrusting of God for most of my life. I have blamed God for allowing my malady to happen.
Maybe, although I wouldn't call it a "grudge."

The point that may be the most important one to take from this discussion is that God doesn't micromanage every last thing about our lives. Adam and Eve were created perfect but disobeyed God and paid the price for themselves and every descendant.

We are mortal, don't have perfect knowledge, must labor to survive, etc. All of that could have been otherwise, but because it wasn't, our species is what it is. Except, of course, that God made a provision for an eternal existence of happiness and fulfillment for those of us to turn to him and trust him completely.

But as for the ugliness or fears or weakness or imperfections of this life (which almost everyone has, although they differ from one person to another), we cannot think that God singled us out for that or, on the other hand, that he's "got it in for" us if he doesn't remedy it right now.
 
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Citizen of the Kingdom

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Does God hold a grudge against those who are angry with or hold a grudge against him? I have a facial deformity that has kept me distant and mistrusting of God for most of my life. I have blamed God for allowing my malady to happen.
From your profile picture I think you are holding a grudge against God for no reason. The bible does tell us tho to hold no grudge against anyone, but to forgive all, not for their wellbeing but for the sake of one’s own wellbeing. That probable means far more when it comes to forgiving God.
 
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Doubting Lyle

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That reminds me of someone at the end of their rope calling for help. A voice comes from above “do you trust me?” “oh yes Lord, I trust you” is the reply. “If you really trust Me you will let go of the rope your holding on to” the final reply “Is there anyone else up there?"
I'm reminded of the trust-building exercise where a person or persons stand behind you and you are supposed to let yourself fall backward, assuming the person/s will catch you. The trust comes as you believe and have faith that you will indeed be caught. This is a simple exercise and one that I imagine quite a bit. If I intentionally let myself fall backward (submit to God's will), will he in fact catch me (fulfill his promises)?

I doubt because I have not knowingly been aware of "being caught". Perhaps I was caught many times and am just not aware of it. It seems to me that a lot relies on a person's perspective as to whether they believe that God is actively working in their lives or not. Some people can easily point to times when they were certain of God's s actions. I can't and I find that disturbing.
 
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