January 2 Echoes of Eternity
First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:24
Put away ill will. It corrodes and eats away the very foundation of your soul. Fight against the feelings of hurt and outrage, and turn every thought that would lead to ill will into prayer. You cannot hate and really pray for someone’s good at the same time.
Realize, however, that it is primarily for your own sake that you are doing this. You must guard against further indulging in hateful thoughts and feelings—even repressed ones—and pray for good for those who hurt or oppose you. You see examples of what can happen to a soul who did not restrain feelings of hate and vengeance. Not a pretty sight, is it? Hatred and ill will are never pretty when fully
unmasked. The pleasure you derive in them cannot be compared to the joy you will have when you put them away.