15 August 2023 - Bitterness

Bitterness is defined as anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly. It is synonymous with resentment and envy.

Ephesians 4:31(ESV) Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

You remove the root of bitterness through forgiveness. Only through the grace of God can you truly forgive others and yourself. It was God’s grace that forgave all our sin. It was his grace that brought restoration to our souls. You can forgive others for the hurt they have caused you because God’s grace flows through you.

Hebrews 12:15(NLT) Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Romans 12:14-21(NLT) Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the LORD. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

To overcome bitterness, forgiveness is necessary. Forgive the one who has hurt you. It is not easy, but it is necessary. We have been forgiven by the God of all Creation, who are we to think we are higher than God to refuse to forgive?

“Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”- Corrie Ten Boom

I conclude with: “Keep in mind, hurting people often hurt other people as a result of their own pain. If somebody is rude and inconsiderate, you can almost be certain that they have some unresolved issues inside. They have some major problems, anger, resentment, or some heartache they are trying to cope with or overcome. The last thing they need is for you to make matters worse by responding angrily.” - Joel Osteen