By Chris Reimer

I don’t like grudges. They are a waste of time and energy, and never make me feel better about a situation. When I reflect on different passages in the Bible that discuss the value and importance of forgiveness in our lives, I am often convicted of the things that I have been holding onto for far too long and have been weighing me down. 

And yet I still find myself holding grudges… like this one I have against grudges.

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As we come out of the Easter holiday, I find myself excited. Jesus is risen! (He is risen indeed!) It seems as though the hope of the resurrection has brought a renewed excitement into my life, and I want it to last. Many of us share a similar sentiment.

But then you went back to work, and that really annoying coworker did something frustrating again, or your friend proceeded to ghost you after promising that they’d respond more often. We become disheartened, maybe even cynical at times, because we want our way, and sometimes it seems we will never get it. 

So the logical option is to bunker down and hold some resentment over that person, team, thing, whatever it is, so that our internal fire can burn against it until…. ummm until they are corrected?

Grudges don’t tend to go anywhere positive; they take root in our hearts and occupy valuable space in our minds. 

It makes sense where they come from—we all have an idea of what is fair or right, and when our expectations are not met, we become disappointed, frustrated, etc., and we seek justice of some kind. 

Coming off Easter, we can all take away a great lesson from the greatest teacher of all time. When Peter once asked how many times he must forgive someone who sins against him, Jesus answered 77 times. 77? That is a lot, but the truth is that Jesus answers here that we must be willing to forgive those who sin against us, as our Father in heaven forgives us (Matthew 6:14-15). Doesn’t sound like leaving room for grudges.

As Jesus was arrested, tried, convicted, and killed, he didn’t hold any grudges. The one person in Earth’s history who could have justified having a grudge chose not to. Instead, as he hung on the cross, he cried, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

This blows my mind, that facing death in the face (and a death he did not deserve or need to die), Jesus was willing to forgive the people who were so against him. 

It makes my grudge against people who are late or don’t respond to my messages seem pretty petty…

To clarify, forgiving someone isn’t always the same as forgetting what has happened. There is a danger if we live in a mindset of expecting to be forgiven so we can continue doing what we were, as if nothing happened. This is enabling bad behaviours, addictions, etc., and I don’t think it is what Jesus had in mind when he said, “Forgive your neighbour 77 times.” 

But where grudges plant deep roots of bitterness and stress, forgiveness opens the door to peace, healing, and joy!

So, as we remember the sacrifice Jesus made, and his cry to the Father to forgive those who nailed him to the cross, maybe it’s time to ask:

What am I still holding onto that Jesus already died to set me free from?

Let’s not let the joy of Easter stay locked in a single weekend. Let it shape how we live, how we love, and yes—even how we forgive.

Because when we let go of our grudges, we’re not just releasing others—we’re setting ourselves free too.

Chris Reimer is the Youth Director at Parliament Community Church in Regina, SK, located near Harbour Landing. As a church, we offer programs for all ages, from children to youth, young adults to Seniors who are part of our Heritage groups. We are also diverse in cultural backgrounds, but share a desire to grow as disciples of Christ together.