Bitterness: September 25, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2012.

BITTERNESS

DEFINITION:

Resentment, hostility.

SCRIPTURE:

The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy. Proverbs 14:10

For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity. Acts 8:23.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Ephesians 4:31

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Some years ago a famous boxer was convicted of murder and sent to jail for life. The boxer maintained his innocence and some 19 years later his verdict was overturned. When released he was asked if he was bitter? He responded that he was sure anyone would be bitter and certainly he was. But he went on to say that he learned in prison that bitterness only consumes the life that harbors it. And for a person to permit bitterness to control his or her life would be allowing those that imprisoned him to take even more from him than they had already taken.

Bitterness is like a cancer. It eats away at us and keeps us from enjoying God’s blessings. The writer of Hebrews deals with the problem of bitterness in Hebrews 12:15, “Looking carefully  lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Some of the Christians that the author of Hebrews was writing to were considering returning to Judaism because of the persecution and injustice they were facing. The author tells them that like a small root that grows into a big tree, bitterness could spring up in their hearts and overshadow their deepest Christian principles and relationships. Bitterness may start as a small thing but it can grow and spread affecting many others.

When we are mistreated by others and have disappointments in our life it is so easy to let bitterness come into our lives and this is what God does not want to happen to us. Jesus can heal our concerns and disappointments that cause bitterness and we need to put them in His hands.

Not only does the writer of Hebrews in verse 15 challenge us to avoid bitterness but in the prior verse, verse 14, he reminds us to pursue peace with all people. This from his point of view is a radical, but healing alternative to allowing ourselves to become bitter toward people.

In Acts 8:23, Paul was talking about Simon who had practiced sorcery claiming he was someone great. But Simon listened to the preaching of Philip and came to know Jesus and was baptized. As the account goes on, we are told about Simon meeting Peter and John and seeing that when they placed their hands on the believers they received the Holy Spirit. Simon asked if he could buy the same power. Peter saw immediately that Simon’s motives were wrong. He was bitter that his sorcery did not give him the power that the apostles had. Then Peter spoke the words in the verse above to Simon, telling him he was poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity and therefore he could not have any share in their ministry because his heart was not right.

As Christians we need to learn not to be bitter about “things” that come and go in our lives. We need to learn to turn the disappointments and concerns over to the Lord as they come our way. Do not let them fester and grow into bitterness which will end up consuming us and controlling us. When we have bitterness in our heart our heart is not right with the Lord.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:31 (above) to get rid of all bitterness. Bitterness brings us grief personally but, more importantly, Paul says it grieves the Holy Spirit of God. (Ephesians 4:30)

As the Proverb (above) says, our heart knows our own bitterness and a stranger does not share its joy. Bitterness and joy are emotions felt in our heart. A stranger cannot feel our bitterness as we feel it, nor can a stranger feel our joy. However, people can look at us and know if we have bitterness or joy within us. If people see that we are bitter, we are not a testimony of the joy that comes from being a believer, and this grieves the Holy Spirit of God.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in James 1:22.

But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

PRAYER:

Help me to get rid of any and all bitterness in my heart. May others see only the joy that I have because I am free from the penalty for my sins and a child of God.