Root Of Bitterness (Two Responses On The Shelf)

Has someone ever said something ... or done something to you ... which you found ... difficult ... to forgive?

Every time you hear their name, ... even if the incident happened years ago ... still brings uneasiness ... to your soul.

It is ... as though you were reliving the event ... all over again.

If so, ... it may be ... that you may have directly or indirectly become ... a prisoner ... of bitterness.

Beloved ... bitterness seldom affects the person you are bitter toward, ... yet ... it will always affect and harm ... you ... no exceptions.

Like Frankenstein, ... bitterness is a monster ... which turns on its creator, ... and causes ... internal damage.

The other person ... continues their life, ... often happy and content, ... and may seldom ... if ever ...even think ... about you.

Yet ... if you harbor bitterness toward them, ... they continue to control ... a portion ... of your life.

Anger another human emotion ... is different ... and does not necessarily morph into Bitterness.

Remember the Scripture ... "Be angry yet ... do not sin" (Ephesians 4:26)

God expects us ... at times ... to have righteous indignation ... righteous anger.

Yet ... when anger gets out of its cage, ... it normally turns to ... sin.

Also ... if the object of our anger is misplaced, ... it too ... can turn ... to sin.

Guilt too ... is not always ... sin

Sometimes the Lord gives us a Godly guilt, ... a conscience, ... a convicting conscience, ... in order to guide us back ... to the path ... He is calling us ... to live.

On the other hand, ... Satan uses guilt ... to paralyze Christians in their Walk ... and when guilt gets out of its cage ... it to becomes sin.

Grief in itself ... can be but is not always ... sin.

Grief is a gift from God ... when used ... to help us heal from loss or sorrow.

Yet ... if we refuse to allow the Holy Spirit to comfort our grief, ... if grief becomes ... self-pity... well ... self-pity as we know ... is a sin.

Anger, ... guilt and grief, are they sin?

If left out of the cage ... they could be ...they might be.

Yet there is a human emotion that is always, without out exception, ... a sin: .... Bitterness.

Bitterness and its cohort ... unforgiveness ... are always sin.

If you spit in my eye, ... you ... have sinned.

If I turn away ... and wallow in bitterness and unforgiveness, ... I have joined you ... in sin.

Has someone ever questioned your motives ... or spoken falsely of you?

Is there someone ... who has hurt you ... that you cannot ... or will not forgive?

Someone ... when you hear their name ... brings up feelings or emotions ... that you thought were long buried?

That is called bitterness, ... and if noy dealt with ... will destroy your walk ... with the Lord.

The Holy Spirit ... at times ... will bring these people to mind.

Why ... because ... He loves you ... and wants to rid you ...of a cancer ... that lies buried within ... that clings ... to your very being!

The incident may have happened last week, ... last year... it may have been decades ago ... even when you were just a child.

Do you find yourself saying ... "Well, I hardly ever think about them or that incident ... anymore."

That is not why the Holy Spirit brings them to mind.

The question is ... when you do think about them, ... or when someone mentions their name, ... what thoughts come racing through ... your mind?

Beloved ... Bitterness if not addressed ... will devastate you spiritually

Why you may ... ask?

Because unchecked ... undealt with bitterness compels ... that you walk in the flesh, ... and not in the Spirit.

Every follower of the Christ has a choice ... every day, ... many times a day, ... to take a step ... in the flesh ... or to take a step ... in the Spirit.

There are only 2 choices ... on the shelf.

Beloved ... We cannot always control what happens in life, ... but ... we can control ... how we respond ... how we react.

These may be tough words ... yet please hear me on this:

If you have un-resolved bitterness in your life, ... then you are not right with God, ... and you are not walking in the Spirit, ... you are walking in the flesh!

And You will be keenly aware ... you will clearly know ... if you are walking in the Spirit.