Hebrews 12:14,15 Pursue peace with all men,
and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking diligently lest
anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up
cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.
When you are offended or
disappointed by others and allow the hurt to germinate in your heart,
bitterness and resentment will take root. Characterized by an unforgiving
spirit and generally negative, critical attitudes, bitterness and resentment
are both sinful and self-defeating.
Bitterness is a malignancy that
makes a person extremely vulnerable to unwise decisions and destructive thought
patterns that infiltrate and affect our bodies as well as our souls. It may
aggravate or even cause physical problems.
Rom. 12:14-21 Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who
weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high
things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all
men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is
written, ’Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says the Lord. Therefore if your
enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you
will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome
evil with good.
God can free you from the sin of
bitterness. It is an oppressive and destructive emotion that is the root of
resentment, anger, hate and other negative emotions, which when not dealt with
may even lead to violence. No one can have peace and happiness
with such emotions raging within. That is why you must repent. If you have not
done so, ask God to forgive you and come into your life right now. He will
deliver you from the power of the enemy (Psalm 91:3).
Ephesians 4:31,32 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, just as God in
Christ also forgave you.
Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, ’Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they do’".
Matthew 6:14,15 For if you forgive men their
trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not
forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses".
If
you are already a Christian, plead with God to forgive you for being bitter and
resentful. Then ask Him to forgive anyone who may have hurt you, and toward
whom you are bitter or resentful and angry, even as He forgives you. Look
for opportunities to demonstrate love to the person who offended you.
God forgives and forgets sin.
However, you may have made your best effort to forgive and forget, only to find
that you cannot. God can help you to cleanse your memory. Instead of
remembering with malice and hurt, remember with forgiveness. Then go one step
further and ask God to forgive your offender. When you forgive and ask God to
also forgive your offender, you release God to bless you and the other person.
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