Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
By Mike Chaffin
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; Hebrews 12:15
One of the biggest sin which causes people to stumble, and the most forgivable sin we commit, is the sin of bitterness. It’s power blinds us from hope, deadens us of grace, and warps our sense of righteousness and justice. It is a stumbling block that many have fallen over, and sadly, never recovered.
Quoting from the website Gotquestions.org, “Bitterness is resentful cynicism that results in an intense antagonism or hostility toward others. Bitterness is that state of mind that willfully holds on to angry feelings, ready to take offense, able to break out in anger at any moment.”
Anger when allowed to grow and get out of control turns into rage which is lethal. However, when anger simmers deep down in our heart, with our emotions stoking the coals, it turns into bitterness and burns us up from the inside. It can lead one to commit the unforgivable sin.
Job got angry with God for his lose of family, fortune, and health. His anger turned to bitterness.
Therefore I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul. Job 7:11
Being bitter didn’t give Job any contentment or satisfaction, and it didn’t do anything to change his condition or circumstances. The one thing he did right was to speak out his anguish. This kept his bitterness, and his criticism, from turning into cynicism and unbelief.
Jeremiah penned the book of Lamentations. This is a sad book, filled with poetic discourse of discouragement and bitterness. In Chapter 3 Jeremiah voices his bitterness.
He has besieged me and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship. Lamentations 3:5
He has filled me with bitterness; he has sated me with wormwood. Lamentations 3:15
Later, like Job, he comes back to his faith. Instead of allowing the bitterness of his life to destroy him he vents it off like steam from a teapot. Paul gave the Ephesians similar teaching when he wrote,
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31
Bitterness builds if bottled up, and buoyed by anger, malice and rejection leads to a life of loss and unhappiness. It breeds contempt and inflames the soul. Paul has some good advice, “get rid of it.”
Prayer: Lord deliver me from any bitterness I harbor against anyone. Forgive me for any bitterness I have toward You. I pray for your healing touch to lift me out of these bad thoughts. In Jesus’ name, amen.
