The Danger of Bitterness

 “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 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 12:14-15

Dear Kids,
Bitterness comes from many different sources, but the end result is never good. God is not pleased with this attitude and warns us not to let it take root in our hearts. When we foster bitterness, our emotions will eat away at our soul. Our suffering only increases and separates us from others as often our sour attitude lends itself to ugly words and actions. The remedy for this problem of the soul is looking to the Lord and receiving His grace.

A Rainy Day and a Leaky Roof

Torrents of rain slammed our area a few weeks ago. I barely made it into my office before the heavens let loose and what seemed like an ocean of water emptied from the clouds. Settling into my desk chair I breathed a sigh of relief and watched from the window pellets of water ricochet off the macadam parking lot. It was good to be inside where it was warm and dry.

But disheartening news soon interrupted my cozy reverie. The punishing rain found a way inside. The roof near one of our air handlers in our event center sprung a leak, and now a steady drip splashed into a plastic container.

I immediately called our mechanical service company who scheduled a service call the following day after the rain abated. The repairman arrived and discovered that a screw had popped out above the leak leaving a rusty hole in the metal roof. The expert soon fixed the problem with a new screw and plenty of caulk – no more leak. But what a mess we would have had if we had allowed the problem to persist.

Bitterness Eats Away at the Soul

Bitterness is like that. When allowed to fester under the surface, it eats away at the soul. Sometimes extended suffering generates resentment and frustration. Other times difficult circumstances and thwarted plans result in anger that can easily turn hostile. Still other times relational difficulties deeply vex us forging a deep grudge. When we dwell on these hard things the constant drip of resentment eventually results in a gaping hole in our soul and everyone who crosses our path better watch out! The Bible calls this attitude of bitterness sin and warns that it defiles many.

We can’t stop the rain from pelting our lives once in a while. There will be times when our plans are thwarted, when physical suffering slams us from behind, when human relationships let us down. But we must not allow the pain and distressing emotions to develop into damaging bitterness.

Fix Your Eyes on Jesus to Ward Off Bitterness

As soon as the negative feeling arises, we must work harder to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He understands every thing we are going through because He experienced it too. He endured hostility, shame, physical pain, exhaustion, and more. Yet He patiently endured. And He invites us to go to Him at any time to receive the grace we need in each and every circumstance.

Are you suffering pain? Cry out to Him for help, mercy, and the ability to endure. Has someone done you wrong? Tell Him all about it and let Him handle the crisis. Have your plans fallen through? Trust His wisdom and love to do what’s best.

But whatever you do, don’t let bitterness take over! The end result is never good. It will slowly eat a hole in your soul, damage your relationships, and separate you from what is healthy and right. Instead avail yourself of the grace of God. He will fill the hole with Himself and give you His perfect peace.

Love,

Mama

Hebrews 12

More Articles on Human Nature:

When you Can’t Unsubscribe

Responding God’s Way May Bring Surprising Results

Where is God When I am Struggling