UNPACK This...Letting Go of Angerናሙና

Letting Go Of Bitterness

The NBA landscape was significantly changed during the 2018 offseason, as superstar, Kawhi Leonard was traded from the San Antonio Spurs to the Toronto Raptors.

To make the deal happen, the Raptors had to trade away All-Star, DeMar DeRozan, a player who had become a cornerstone for the franchise.

DeRozan was devastated by the trade because he wasn’t expecting it and he didn’t want it.

He described the process by saying, “I definitely was extremely hurt. I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t. I always made it clear that Toronto was where I wanted to retire.”

While dealing with the reality of his situation, it would make sense that he would struggle with disappointment, frustration, bitterness, and anger.

But DeRozan had to move forward and embrace his new team in San Antonio. He admitted, “It took a while for me to get back in that happy place, where I didn’t care about much in the sense of like, ‘Just be happy, man. Just be yourself. Don’t worry about all that other stuff.’”

We can all relate to DeRozan when our plans change, people let us down, we end up somewhere new, or we have to adjust to a different reality.

Although it’s difficult to let go of negative emotions, we can’t allow them to linger and ruin our lives moving forward.

We can easily convince ourselves we have the right to be upset and to hold onto bitterness, but we must turn to God to give us the strength to overcome these feelings.

The Bible offers us comfort and peace in our pain. 1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.”

Today, we may have reasons to be mad at our “Raptors” who trade us and let us down. But like DeRozan ending up with the Spurs, we must open our eyes to see that we’ve entered into victory.

I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me to rest in the fact that You care for me. Help me to not be overcome by anger or bitterness as I recognize that You are in control of all things in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.