“See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled“ Hebrews 12:15

It is impossible to pass through this world without being struck by injustice or heartache. Unless we process our struggles in Christ, a single wounding of our soul can create a deep bitterness within us, poisoning our very existence. In my forty-six years of ministry, I have known far too many Christians who have perfected the art of looking polite while living inwardly with an angry, cynical or resentful spirit. They have swallowed the poison of bitterness, and they are dying spiritually because of it. The problem is that, as Christians, we know it is wrong to react with open anger toward people. However, rather than truly forgiving and surrendering that injustice to God, we suppress our anger. Anger is a result of perceived injustice. Suppressed anger always degrades into bitterness, which is, in reality, unfulfilled revenge.

Embittered People

A bitter soul is trapped in a time warp; the person dwells in the memory of their pain. Several years ago I met a woman who had suffered a difficult divorce. I talked with her every six months or so for two years, and each time we talked she said exactly the same negative things about her ex-husband. Although she was divorced from him, she was now married to a bitter spirit that held her captive to her heartache.

An embittered soul continually blames others for their situation. I’m thinking of Naomi in the Book of Ruth. Here was a person who blamed her bitterness on God. She was angry that He allowed hardship and loss in her life. “The Lord has brought me back empty” (Ruth 1:21). In effect she was saying, My sorrow is God’s fault.

Contrast her life with that of Job’s first encounter with loss (Job 1). Job lost his children and possessions, yet he bowed and worshiped: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

How we handle sorrow reveals the depth of our worship of God. When life cuts us, do we bleed bitterness or worship? Job bowed and drew close to God. Naomi withdrew and talked about the Lord with her back toward Him. I have dear friends who lost their only son when he was a teenager. In the midst of their heartache, they have become examples to everyone of true worship. Over the years, their pain actually purified and deepened their worship; their suffering made them more compassionate toward the suffering of others (See 2 Corinthians 1:3-4). I also know others who have suffered the sudden loss of a loved one and, within weeks, withdrew from God and became embittered. Adversity does not perfect character; it reveals character. It exposes what is happening inside of us.

Poisoned

In ancient times mankind experimented with vegetation, seeking to learn which plants were edible and which were poisonous. In his search, he discovered that, generally speaking, if a plant or fruit was sweet, it was usually safe to eat; bitter plants, man discovered, would either sicken or kill. Likewise, the bitter experiences of life, if we ingest them into our spirits, can become a spiritual poison that destroys our hopeful expectations and attitudes. Such an experience may enter your soul via a relational wound or injustice; it can begin through a major disappointment or loss. However, once bitterness enters the human soul, like ink spreading in a glass of water, it can darken every aspect of our existence.

Indeed, not only can bitterness ruin our lives, Hebrews warns that a root of bitterness can “defile many” (Hebrews 12:15 NIV). A spiritual root of bitterness is a hidden, unresolved anger that is buried beneath the surface of our lives. Outwardly we look “properly Christian,” until we begin to discuss with others the situation where someone hurt us. As we speak, that root “springs up” and it defiles others. If you haven’t dealt with your bitterness, beware when you speak to others, lest you defile them with your words. If you are listening to an embittered person, take heed that the spirit of bitterness is not being transferred to your life as well!

God desires to rescue us from bitterness so we can truly love and laugh again. Let us, therefore, sincerely approach the throne of God’s grace and ask Him to show us the garden of our hearts. Yes, and let us see if our souls are truly free of the root of bitterness.

By Francis Frangipane
Used by Permission

If you don’t know Jesus in a personal way you can begin a relationship with him today. The first step is a prayer telling him you believe He is who He says He is and a second step is surrendering control of your will and life to him.  These can be communicated in a simple prayer (prayer is talking to God):

“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”

FURTHER READING

• Lessons from Life: the Garden
• The Careful Gardener
• My Unfruitful Garden

Francis Frangipane
info@frangipane.org
www.frangipane.org
www.icitc.org
www.arrowbookstore.com

The post Bitterness in the Garden of Our Hearts appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Anger. It’s a peculiar yet predictable emotion. It begins as a drop of water. An irritant. A frustration. Nothing big, just an aggravation. Someone gets your parking place.

Someone pulls in front of you on the freeway. A waitress is slow and you are in a hurry. The toast burns. Drops of water. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Yet, get enough of these seemingly innocent drops of anger and before long you’ve got a bucket full of rage. Walking revenge.

Blind bitterness. Unharnessed hatred. We trust no one and bare our teeth at anyone who gets near. We become walking time bombs that, given just the right tension and fear, could explode.

Yet, what do we do? We can’t deny that our anger exists. How do we harness it? A good option is found in Luke 23:34. Here, Jesus speaks about the mob that killed him. ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’

Look carefully. It’s as if Jesus considered this bloodthirsty, death-hungry crowd not as murderers, but as victims. It’s as if he saw in their faces not hatred but confusion. It’s as if he regarded them not as a militant mob but, as he put it, as ‘sheep without a shepherd. They don’t know what they are doing.

And when you think about it, they didn’t. They hadn’t the faintest idea what they were doing. They were a stir-crazy mob, mad at something they couldn’t see so they took it out on, of all people, God. But they didn’t know what they were doing.

And for the most part, neither do we. We are still, as much as we hate to admit it, shepherdless sheep. All we know is that we were born out of one eternity and are frighteningly close to another. We play tag with the fuzzy realities of death and pain. We can’t answer our own questions about love and hurt. We can’t solve the riddle of aging. We don’t know how to heal our own bodies or get along with our own mates. We can’t keep ourselves out of war. We can’t even keep ourselves fed.

Paul spoke for humanity when he confessed,

“I do not know what I am doing.” (Romans 7:15, author’s paraphrase.)

Now, I know that doesn’t justify anything. That doesn’t justify hit-and-run drivers or kiddie-porn peddlers or heroin dealers. But it does help explain why they do the miserable things they do.

My point is this: Uncontrolled anger won’t better our world, but sympathetic understanding will. Once we see the world and ourselves for what we are, we can help. Once we understand ourselves we begin to operate not from a posture of anger but of compassion and concern. We look at the world not with bitter frowns but with extended hands. We realize that the lights are out and a lot of people are stumbling in the darkness. So we light candles.

by Max Lucado
used by permission

From: No Wonder They Call Him the Savior
© W Publishing Group, 1986, 2004

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about-max

FURTHER READING

Anger Management

Watch Your Anger – Psalm 37:8

The Danger of Anger

The post They Don’t Know What They Are Doing appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read: Hebrews 12:12-15

If you’ve ever tried to get rid of weeds in your lawn or garden, you know what a big problem they can be. You pull them out, and everything looks really good for a while, but before long, the unwanted growth returns because the roots are still there. An unforgiving spirit is like a root branching out in all directions, affecting every area of our life. Lopping off the leaves by repressing the pain and resentment isn’t a long-term solution, because like a weed, bitterness can continue to grow and reproduce as long as roots are in place.

When we’ve been deeply hurt, we sometimes resist offering forgiveness, thinking that a pardon excuses the wrongdoer and downplays the severity of the wrong done to us. But that’s not what forgiveness is—it’s letting go of both the offense and our right to demand payment, with the acknowledgment that vengeance is God’s responsibility, not ours (Romans 12:17-21).

Stubbornly refusing to forgive may seem like a way to get even, but it’s actually a poison that harms us. It hampers our ability to enjoy life and, like any sin, erodes our fellowship with the Lord. Unforgiveness could even affect our health, resulting in physical illness, anxiety, or depression.

But roots of bitterness don’t stop with us; they reach into our relationships, causing trouble and defiling others (Hebrews 12:15). An unforgiving spirit hinders our ability to love, poisoning the atmosphere in homes and workplaces.

Isn’t it time to deal with that root of bitterness? Lay down your grievances and refuse to rehearse your hurts. Then fill your mind with positive things instead—namely, truths about the Lord.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• The Power of Forgiveness
• Restored Families
• Choosing to Forgive

The post A Root of Bitterness appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Life has a way of unloading its rubbish on us. Your boss expects too much. Your kids whine too much. Trash. Load after load of anger; guilt; pessimism; bitterness; and anxiety. It all piles up! As a result, we must guard our thoughts. Today’s thoughts are tomorrow’s actions. Today’s jealousy is tomorrow’s hate crime. Could that be why Paul writes in: 1 Corinthians 13:5,

“Love keeps no record of wrongs”?

Paul also says in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that we have a choice:

“We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.”

Selfishness, step back! Envy, get lost! Rather than store up the sour thoughts, store up the sweet ones. Make a list of God’s mercies; the many times he has blessed you…the many times he has forgiven you. And you will find your thoughts resulting in happy days.

By Max Lucado
Used by permission
From: A Love Worth Giving

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about/

Further Reading

• The Wound of Bitterness – by Kathy Cheek

• The First Step –  by Kristi Huseby

• How to be Saved

The post Long Lists of Stinky Trash appeared first on Thoughts About God.

It was our yearly retreat and I had paid for an apartment where my family would lodge.

I felt very disappointed when the lady in charge allocated a poor apartment to me, plus she was rude and reluctant to change it. In front of a few persons seated, I had made a big deal out of the entire issue, maybe because I had expected fairer treatment. We settled it eventually. However, there were checks here and there in my spirit.

After unpacking and settling in, we decided to take a quick nap before going for the evening session of the program. While my husband and children slept, my eyes were wide open. In the cool warmth of the afternoon breeze, a gentle voice spoke out within me.

“What happened earlier today wasn’t entirely your fault but, you should have let it go. Not because you do not have the right to demand for a change but because, you are a light. Many times, you can be very right but because of me, allow things to flow. Just a little action taken on impulse, can disorientate souls (who you may not know) from being saved.” He said. The voice was tender, corrective and not condemning. That was the voice of the Holy Spirit. He knows how to practically uproot weeds that stole their ways into the vineyard. I immediately asked for forgiveness, we settled it amicably, like a Beloved Father and her loving daughter. Then, I had an assuring peace.

You see, People can get on our nerves a lot of times. They tend to take us for granted over the limit but the Lord is saying “you might be right, but because of me, allow things to flow” Yes, ignoring a rude behaviour overtly is a tough thing to do, especially when, in a snap, you can hurl down the world on the offender. Here, let us learn together. Even when it hurts, let us trust God to plead our cause.

This reminds me of our Lord Jesus Christ in 1 Peter 2:23. “Who when He was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously”. In order to fully pattern our lives like Jesus, I have learned that, we should endeavour to live as He lived. We are the light that brightens the dark areas of this world. Therefore, in every facet of it, let our light so shine, that others may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven. (Mathew 5:16)

It is still the wee days of the New Year, what are those attitudes that God through this message, is impressing in your heart to drop off, in order to enjoy His fullness?

Let nothing stand as a barrier to Gods blessings for you this year.

By Deborah Oladayo
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Understanding theHoly Spirit

•   Bible Studies

•  Spiritual Oxygen: Are You Getting Enough?

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The post Letting Go, Even When it Hurts appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“‘It is exceedingly bitter to me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.’ Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. And Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.”  Ruth 1:13-14

Recently I lost my mother unexpectedly, my husband lost his executive job, we had to move from our beloved small town to a large city, and my health crashed, all within the space of a few months. The “root of bitterness” mentioned in Hebrews 12:15 rose up in me, and I struggled to understand why God had allowed all this to happen.

Then I met Cindy, a woman twenty years younger than I, who was fighting a losing battle against cancer but didn’t let it rob her of her joy in the Lord. Her dazzling smile and cheerful encouragement put me to shame, and I started looking for others to encourage, like she had encouraged me.

After Naomi lost her husband and both her sons, she didn’t deny her bitterness, even changing her name temporarily to Mara, which means bitter. Before returning home, she tried to send away her daughters-in-law. Orpah left, but Ruth refused to abandon Naomi, even though she had lost a husband, too. Ruth avoided the bitterness that defined Naomi by focusing on another grieving person and doing all she could to help. It’s no surprise that once Naomi changed her focus from her personal sorrow to concern for Ruth’s welfare, she began to lose her bitterness, too.

In the same way, we can look beyond our grief to the suffering people around us and learn to love and serve them better. Not only will comforting others make our root of bitterness shrivel up and die, we will renew our joy in the Lord and make a difference in the lives of others by our example of faith.

Lord, help me to put away bitterness born of grief and disappointment, and instead look outward to those who desperately need encouragement

By Katy Huth Jones
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

Choosing to be Bitter or Better

Heaven on My Mind

Joy out of Sorrow –

I Corinthians 13 ~ The Way of Love

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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The First Step towards rooting out bitterness

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Matthew 5.43-44 (NLT, emphasis mine)

“Lord, is there any bitterness in my life?” I asked the question half-heatedly knowing that there wouldn’t be. I had just worked through a seven year stretch of bitterness and felt pretty sure that there couldn’t be any more.

How wrong I was! Bitterness had burrowed deep into my soul. With every wrong done to me I allowed it to tunnel deeper and deeper, until it became a part of me. I relished the bitterness. I was sure I must be in the right.

“Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.” (Proverbs 14.10 NLT)

God’s illuminating truth revealed the corruption of my heart. But how do I yank this out of my life? Where do I go?

“Come to ME” (Matthew 11:28-29).

Pray for those who have wounded you, for those who have done you wrong. Prayer does the unexplainable, in the heart of the one who prays.

What about you? Have you asked God to show you the bitterness that lurks in your own heart? Are you praying for those who have hurt you and done you wrong?

Lord, I surrender my bitterness to You, all the those things I used to justify my bitterness because I was wronged. I NEVER want to add another brick to my wall of bitterness. Root out this darkness in me and teach me to come to You. Amen.

Action Step
If you need support read “Feelings, Forgiveness and Peace” to find out how to heal.

by Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

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