Eyes of Resentment

Have you ever read a book because you were asked to read it? I don't mean in school - there are lots of books we are asked to read as part of an education. I mean a book that, because of you commitment to a group or team, you have been asked to read as part of the work of team.  Maybe you were asked to read it because the team leader thought having everyone read and discuss the same book would be helpful to the work of the team.

Right now I'm reading a book that I don't like. Each day, I pick it up and read a small chapter - the goal is to read this book in 28 days.  Each day, I start reading, resentful that I have to read this book because of my commitment to the team. Truthfully, I have limited reading time, and I don't want to spend it reading books I haven't chosen. And as I read this book, I am critiquing it - finding what is wrong with it (in my opinion).

It could be - and I think this is at least partially true - that the book just isn't to my taste. I'm not crazy about how it was written and some of its theology. I would not have chosen it.

But I think what is also at least partially true is that I don't like the book because I am determined to not like it.

What is it that we see through the eyes of resentment? What is it that we miss because we just won't see it through our previously formed opinions? What is it that could make a different if we just got out of the way?