Bitterness

Bitterness

Hey, guess what? We all deal with this one.

Personality tests really seem to be trending. After seeing multiple posts, I decided to retake the Myers Briggs test. Life has a way of changing us, you know?

I am an ESFJ -A. Any fellow ESFJ’s out there?!

We are all human and we all deal with life not quite panning out.

Maybe this is a moment in life. Maybe it’s a person who continuously mistreats you.

For me, it was loss in death. Losing people made me first numb, then angry-at life and especially at myself for not making the most of the time given with them. Writing this one is hard. Those things I wish I could have said and done and the opportunities I passed up to show love haunt me.

I can’t go back and give a little more, no matter how much I wish I could.

That’s part of life – losing and healing.

Bitterness never starts off as this intentional boulder in your heart. No, it’s not that simple. It begins, and like a smoldering fire, slowly burns into more and more areas of life.

It is a horrible thing and can wreck your life and your relationships.

We all are broken people – saved, but still broken.

Was I bitter at God? No, I was confused but not bitter. Was I bitter at life? Yes. Oh yes. I kept wondering when the next life blow would come. Let me tell you, that is no way to live your life.

Ephesians 4:29-32 says, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not grieve God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live…Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Our bitterness grieves God. He is displeased with it. Pause and feel the weight of that.

At the foundation of our faith is this truth: We all have fallen and yet God, who is without fault, sent His perfect son to face every penalty of our sin. That is the ultimate forgiveness.

Please hear me, I am not trying to discredit your life and what you’re walking though. There are horrible things in this dark world and I am truly sorry you’re dealing with what you are.

However, we are not called to become bitter.

Yet we act as though we don’t have it in us to forgive life, that person, the circumstance.

Who are we?! How fallen we are and entitled we let ourselves become.

Bitterness affects others. It hardens our heart toward others and ruins relationships.

I heard a sermon on bitterness and the pastor said to take the word bitter and put it in front of the Fruits of the Spirit.

Do any of these make sense?

• Bitter love
• Bitter joy
• Bitter peace
• Bitter patience
• Bitter kindness
• Bitter goodness
• Bitter faithfulness
• Bitter gentleness
• Bitter self control

Not one of those makes any sense. How can we be who He calls us to be when we are harboring the poison of bitterness in our lives? We are allowing the stronghold of Satan to wreck God’s blessing He has put in place for us!

Friends, I am begging you. Search your heart. Ask God to strip away every ounce of bitterness you are harboring.

Cry out to God and confess you have fallen short. He will forgive you!

Go to that person and humbly ask for forgiveness. Maybe they won’t forgive you. Do it anyway!

Then daily, minute by minute, chose to live with peace.

Let the freedom from knowing God is in control cover you and strengthen you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

You may be saying, but Brittany, you don’t get it. You don’t know what happened to me.

You are absolutely right, and I know that I don’t. But I do know who does.

I can’t wrap my head around it, and it doesn’t make sense to me. But it’s a command and so I try. I pray for His goodness to be shown. I pray for forgiveness and I thank Him for mercy and love.

We don’t deserve this grace, and yet it is ours through Christ.

“Remember you do not look into the eyes of someone whom God does not love,” anonymous.

May you cry out to God and be refreshed with His overwhelming forgiveness and love.

Unexplainable peace is there being offered to you. Will you accept it?