Bitterness

“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled…” (Hebrews 12:15).

It’s so easy to become bitter.  The descent into bitterness begins when someone hurts us in some way.  The pain can catch us by surprise -- be it a financial loss, a slanderous remark, the betrayal of a relationship or whatever.  Regardless of the source of the wound, we become angry at being abused by another.  And if we are not very careful, our anger can lead to bitterness.  “Bitterness is unforgiveness fermented.  The more we hold onto past hurts the more we become drunk on our pain and the experience can rob us of the joy we can find in anything. Bitterness occurs when we feel someone has taken something from us that we are powerless to get back.  We hold on to the hurt in an attempt to remind ourselves and others of the injustice we’ve experienced in the hopes that someone will save us and restore what we’ve lost.  Unfortunately, bitterness only makes our sense of the injustice grow.  It does nothing to heal the wound caused by the injustice” (Dr. Greg Popcak, Overcoming Bitterness: 5 Steps for Healing the Hurt that Won’t Go Away).  Like a noxious weed, our bitterness can spread until we even begin to harbor ill-will toward those who aren’t directly involved.

Bitterness must be attacked at the root level.  We will never kill it by mowing it off at ground level.  Until we deal with the root, it will continue to sprout and bear it’s ugly, defiling fruit.  Sadly, while we aim our bitterness at others, we end up destroying ourselves in our efforts to punish others.  “Acrid bitterness inevitably seeps into the lives of people who harbor grudges and suppress anger, bitterness is always a poison. It keeps your pain alive instead of letting you deal with it and get beyond it. Bitterness sentences you to relive the hurt over and over” (Lee Strobel).

God loves you!

Mike