“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 12:15
When we hold bitterness in, we are actually behaving like the unsaved, and that is why Ephesians 4:31–32 exhorts us, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Sometimes our bitterness is the result of our own disobedience, as in Ruth 1:20. There we see that Naomi became bitter because of what she went through when she and her husband did not trust God to provide for them. Naomi was overwhelmed with bitterness and even wanted to change her name to Mara, which means bitterness.
But often, bitterness comes because we do not forgive one another. We are instructed time and time again to forgive, but bitterness is allowed to spring up when I choose not to forgive. Bitterness insists, “I have a right to be bitter,” but that denies the truth that “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” Bitterness clings to the details of the hurt. It is like drinking poison and hoping someone else dies.
Bitterness will devastate you spiritually, robbing you of the enjoyment of your relationship and fellowship with God. It causes a loss of contentment in our lives. Bitterness is a tool of Satan that can also destroy you physically. It robs you of peace of mind and can lead to depression, as well as stress, high blood pressure, ulcers, lack of sleep, and a sharp, sarcastic, hurtful tongue. Bitterness can cause us to become critical and negative. It has been said, “Not every sick person is bitter, but every bitter person is sick.” It also discourages you emotionally, sending you on an emotional roller-coaster ride. It divides friends and affects fellowship within the local assembly. Going back to Hebrews 12:15, the verse says, “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble.” This word trouble means “to crowd upon”—it has an effect on others.
Anchor For Today:
It is time to pull up the root of bitterness in your life! Confess it to the Lord and surrender it over to Him!