Resentment can often be present to alarm me when false hope is detected. Resentment is like the smoke (silent and often invisible) before the flames engulf. Is resentment being put to good use? Am I open to the warning messages of resentment upon false hope being detected, before the sound of my house comes crashing down?
When I notice I'm upset or resenting something or someone - my false hope detector is communicating to me. When I deny or minimize it, I'm inviting trouble, playing with fire. Resentment can be my ally, when I enlist it under my control, instead of ignoring it and falling under its control.
Self-awareness through rigorous honesty is a non-negotiable. Shame is an unwelcomed intruder. When I catch myself passing judgment on myself for what my honesty reveals, I can thank God for the profound grace He gives me. The presence of resentment doesn't offend me when I learn how to utilize it for my own growth and recovery. It can warn me before my house suddenly comes crashing down.
My house is symbolic of my life.
The materials it's built out of are symbolic of the choices I make.
Just like a house is made up of many parts, my life consists of many choices made, big and small.
The foundation of the house is symbolic for how I see God and consequently myself - my identity.
When my false-hope-detector is going off, it will often present as resentment, which provides opportunity for chaos prevention if I notice and respond accordingly.
The foundation of the house is symbolic for how I see God and consequently myself - my identity.
When my false-hope-detector is going off, it will often present as resentment, which provides opportunity for chaos prevention if I notice and respond accordingly.
To build a solid house - I need a solid foundation. The foundation holds all the pieces together when trials come, and they will come.
My emotions help steer my choices, which are steered by my beliefs. Having awareness of my emotions, such as resentment, is a key element in becoming aware of what I really believe - about myself and about God - my foundation.
How I see God is foundational. The serpent has known this from the beginning. His successful strategy relied on deceiving Eve regarding one foundational aspect - her perception of God. The serpent had to get Eve to mistrust God. The way I perceive God is foundational. Almost all of life's significant choices stem from trust, or hope. Is my hope in God, or is it in something or someone else? That will depend on how I see God. I will trust Him or not, as a result of the picture of God I hold to be true. This determines the condition of my house, after the storms have pounded on it.
My choices reveal where my hope is being placed. Do I put into practice the belief that God is good, that his love for me is the source of my life and identity? I don't need to write a thesis in order to find the answers. I just look at my choices. What do my choices indicate about my beliefs? What kind of picture am I'm holding of God that steers me? Does it look anything like Jesus Christ, dying on my behalf?
Resentments can be used to warn me of false hope present in my life. False hope is a foundation of sand. As long as I have today, I have the opportunity to make a different choice, thanks to my false hope detector of resentment going off, before a fire burns my house to the ground.
