Bitterness

“lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled”

Bitterness may be defined as, “a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will,” and is a powerful enemy of charity and Christian living.

Scripture declares, “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Bitterness may arise from burdens, criticism, denial of faults, feeling uncomfortable, unforgiveness, and comparing ourselves to others, failing to acknowledge our own sin, along with many others.

We must not allow bitterness to have its way in our lives, for “any root of bitterness springing up trouble” in us, opens the door “thereby many be defiled.” Do we really want to be the reason that many become defiled?

Yes, there may be things that happen in life, that cause us to distance ourselves from other persons and certain things, but we are still to “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

“Be ye angry, and sin not” is not permission to have “a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will” towards someone. For Christ, beaten and suffering, hung upon the cross of Calvary, as a substitute Lamb, crying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”, and the following verses of Ephesians 4:26 & 27 say, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” Bitterness is giving “place to the devil”, by allowing our anger of sin to grow into “a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will” against person(s) or thing(s), without ever granting forgiveness. Remember, it doesn’t matter if one deserves it, for neither have we, yet Christ has forgiven.

Although, persons and circumstances in our lives may cause us difficulties, whereby the soil of our hearts may become ground for the seeds of bitterness, it is us who nourish the vines of bitterness to grow. Further allowing it to attach itself to those around us, till it takes root so deep, no one can tell from whence it has come. We must allow the Gardner to keep the seeds of bitterness from our soil, for which His seed is made. And if by chance, we have allowed the vines of bitterness to grow above our eyes to see past it, we need only to plead to the Gardner, to clean us as only He knows how.

Put away the seed of bitterness from you, and “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”