Practical Steps to Get Rid of Bitterness
Key Verse to Read and Treasure
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)
For Insight
Bitterness is a sin and adversely affects us and others in our lives. It’s an unwillingness to forgive when we are wronged when we have been hurt or mistreated. And when its not removed it becomes an emotional cancer that eats away at the soul.
The writer of Hebrews said we should see to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, not letting any root of bitterness spring up, causing trouble and doing bodily, emotional, mental, and spiritual harm. When we are bitter our focus is on the person or persons who have wronged or hurt us. Yet, strange as it may seem, God’s eye is not focused on our offender, but is focused on us. He is watching our good heart become bitter, watching our bright spirit diminish, watching us lose our way and wisdom; knowing our spiritual compass is off kilter.
The most loving act we can have for those who are becoming bitter is refuse to comfort them in their bitterness. We should not commiserate with the embittered. It does not help to tell them how right they are, how wrong the other person is, how God understands and accepts their bitterness, and so on. That is not love, because bitterness will separate them from the grace and love of God, not lead them or us to him.
The Bible starts out with an example of bitterness in Cain and Abel. We see how one brother became bitter about the other leading to a tragic outcome. The sons of Jacob became bitter about their brother Joseph, Esau with Jacob (Gen. 32-33), judas became bitter about Jesus and did not experience good not eternal life. When God warns us to get rid of all bitterness, He is not saying that the hurt we experienced or the wrong done to us is unimportant and that He does not care about injustices toward us, instead He is saying He does not want to see us die or become a withered branch on Jesus’ Vine.
When we reject bitterness and root it out at all costs, we are saying we trust God’s sovereign and perfect plan to use even our worst experiences for good. We don’t need to be consumed with the ways of the wicked or hell-bent on revenge, or jealous about the things wicked people get away with only trust God to prepare a blessing for us when we refuse bitterness.
Praying Hebrews 12:15
Jesus, there is only one sure way to root out bitterness and that is through kindness, tenderness, and forgiveness. Thank You for loving us too much and caring about our eternity too much to let us get trapped in bitterness. Don’t ever leave us in sin or turn away from our sin but make us deal with it, get rid of it and receive the peace and joy from being set free. Amen
Prayer Challenge
Reject bitterness. Ask God to keep your heart pure and undefiled.
Digging Deeper
Devotionally Yours 