"All bitterness starts out as hurt, and your emotional pain may well relate to viewing whoever or whatever provoked this hurt as having malicious intent. When a person becomes bitter, there’s often a sense of betrayal about how life has treated them. A victim mindset can take hold.
The problem snowballs when the hurt, bitter person gives in and gives up. Instead, taking action can make the difference between an isolated life and a connected one.
Anger and resentment is what we are likely to experience whenever we conclude that another has seriously abused us. Left to fester, that righteous anger eventually becomes the corrosive ulcer that is bitterness.
HEBREWS 12:14-15 NIV
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
QUALITIES OF BITTERNESS
1. BITTERNESS IS A HIDDEN DESTROYER
BITTERNESS IS LIKE DRINKING POISON HOPING IT KILLS YOUR ENEMY
AN INVISIBLE ROOT ALWAYS YIELDS VISIBLE FRUIT
2. BITTERNESS ALWAYS POISONS OTHERS
HEBREWS 12:15 NIV
15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
DEFILE MANY – GREEK WORD – MIAINO – STAIN, POLLUTE, OR CONTAMINATE
HATRED AND HOLINESS CAN’T COEXIST IN THE SAME HEART.
HOW DO YOU KILL A ROOT OF BITTERNESS?
1. EXPOSE THE OBJECTS OF YOUR BITTERNESS
EPHESIANS 5:11 NIV
11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
YOU CANNOT HEAL FROM WHAT YOU ARE UNWILLING TO ADMIT.
HEBREWS 12:15
15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
1. CANCEL THEIR DEBT
MATTHEW 18:21-35 NIV
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold[b] was brought to him.25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
3. SPEAK A BLESSING OVER THEM
LUKE 6:27-28 NIV
27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
Bless – speak well of
EPHESIANS 4:31-32 NIV
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.