Wisdom is the principal thing

Well, here I am writing my first in-depth article. At first I really didn't know what I should make it about, until I asked, and it soon became apparent when the subject got pushed under my nose several times!  The subject is "Bitterness". Yeah, I see you swallowing hard, breathe, it's OK, we've all been there! 

Let's start with what the dictionary has to say about it!

• having a harsh or unpleasant pungent taste or smell; not sweet

• of people or their feelings or behavior angry, hurt, or resentful because of one's bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment.

And now lets see what some of the Bible has to say about it! 

Psalm 73:21-22

When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 

The psalmist knew exactly what he was talking about! Bitterness does those exact things!

Job 20:12-14

"Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he hides it under his tongue, though he cannot bear to let it go and keeps it in his mouth, yet his food will turn sour in his stomach; it will become the venom of serpents within him.

It's yet again 'bitterness' described. We start off with a little bit that we mull around in our mouth, then we let it 'hide' under our tongue because somehow we just can't seem to let go of it! Eventually it turns us sour, making it indeed a powerful poison to ourselves.

Amos 6:12

Do horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness. Bitterness is sometimes just a 'wrong' perception that seems 'right'. We dress our bitterness up with lovely garments of excuses for ourselves, that we have a right to be bitter, when we've never been given that right. 

So we know that bitterness comes out of a bad experience that we feel is unjust! It is something that we let harbour and fester in our hearts. 

Here are some quotes that I found on bitterness, and they are just so true, so relevant!

"Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die!" Is this quote making you feel anything? Perhaps a little guilty that secretly you too expected that?

 "Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; but you are the one who gets burned."

"NEVER succumb to the temptation of bitterness." - Martin Luther King Jr

"Life is not about what happens to you. Life is about what happens in you when things happen to you. Get better NOT BITTER!"

Romans 12:2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Choose wisely which voices you listen to as your mind is a battle field for the enemy. Positive voices will build you up with truths, hope, strength and encouragement. Negative voices (the enemy) will only guilt trip you, or make you feel ashamed, or will tear you down to shreds.

Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32

"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 

The Author of the Bible (God) knew long before the letters were in stone about bitterness and the effects of it. Why not let the sun go down while still angry? Because it grows and it manifests into something that will soon drown you. It will become something that the enemy will use to control you like a hopeless puppet! The enemy does not have the right to afflict your life just because he wants to, but he will try his hardest by feeding you lies. The roots behind these lies that we all believe are: bitterness, accusation, occultism, envy and jealousy, rejection, unloving spirits, addictions and fear. If a person entertains these lies and wrong attitudes in their lives, they will cause a serious illness or disease to manifest which is mainly known as BITTERNESS. You need to address these spiritual roots in order to release physical, spiritual and emotional healing.  The first step to healing and restoration is recognizing your enemy.

Hebrews 12:15

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

Bitterness corrodes like acid, eating away at your soul. It poisons first the mind then the body. It is often marked by cynicism and animosity toward others. Bitterness is a strong man kept in place by several underlings. Each underling is given entry into your life by the one preceding it. The severity of the evilness of each underling is progressive in nature. Once you understand the wiles of the enemy, you can start to set yourself free! 

“Freedom is what you do with what has been done to you." Jean-Paul Sartre

"Forgiveness - is like unlocking the door to give someone freedom and discovering that you were really the prisoner."

"Cry a river, build a bridge, and get over it! There is no room for bitterness! Life is too sweet for all that!"

"STOP thinking about your past, STOP putting yourself down for what has happened before. Do not give yourself titles of a past that has gone. You are not an ex-wife, you are a lady today. If you were the captain of the football team of your school many years ago. That is gone. Your past glory is in the past, you've got to live now!"

Remember that when someone hurts you or attacks you, it is not you that is lacking, but the one who is attacking. Jesus knew to forgive those who didn't know what they were doing. A good heart that shines the light of Christ becomes a mirror to those who have not. So when people curse you, trouble you or attack you, remember that it's love that draws a multitude to remorse, not returning hurt for hurt.

“An eye for an eye will soon turn the whole world blind!"

When we seek God for the way of dealing with something, He will show us the most excellent way! 

Unforgivingness would say, "I am not willing to forgive the offense against me. I will remember what has been done to me." This unforgivingness actually invites bitterness to become a part of our lives, entertaining six bad spirits. Resentment is a feeling of ill will. It says, "I do not like him. I will never forgive him for what he did to me." Resentment keeps unforgivingness in place. Retaliation will now come and speak his peace, "It is time to get even. He should pay for what he did…I am going to get even with him." Anger and Wrath wait on retaliation to become strong and then they will break out. Anger can be both seen and felt. Hatred will come forward with the idea of elimination and it sounds like this: "He does not deserve to live. He does not deserve to be on this planet." Violence is anger and hatred in action. It might take the form of striking, throwing things, screaming and physical, sexual and emotional abuse. I'd run if I was you, or at least look to change it!

Did you know that bitterness is classed as a sin? Why? Because by holding onto bitterness, you are telling God He is not needed in this situation. You have placed yourself in His shoes by judging someone else for what they have done, either to you or to someone close to you. By accusing/judging someone, you are telling God He is not needed in a particular situation. You are deciding what would be right or wrong for someone else. Your heart says, "God, I will decide good and evil here." It says, "God, I will execute judgment here." But, the Bible clearly tells us that vengeance belongs to the Lord.

Romans 12:19

"It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

We're all immature in the way we think sometimes; we think that because it's not fair, that it gives us the right to carry on being bitter. It doesn't. We seem to think this bitterness will avenge us somehow! It doesn't avenge you, it helps the attacker to have a further hold on you than what the initial hurt did!

Here's what Tom the cat who was in pursuit of Jerry was advised: "Tom, this bitter persuit is gonna kill you! Well maybe not, but it will get you crushed with an anvil, run over by a train, beaten up by an angry dog.... You may not think it, but if this bitterness is fed enough, it can and will get you killed, from the inside out!

Matthew 6:15 

But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

This is why bitterness (which is rooted in unforgivingness) must be eliminated.

1 Peter 2:19

For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.

Try to also remember that any scars that you've received, make you the person you are today. Embrace them and forgive them but don't forget them as they've helped to mould you! They are blessings in disguise!

Philippians 4:13

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Christ is part of the key, but you can have enough Christ to drown in. If you don't actually want to let it go, it just won't happen! You choose how much you let things to have an effect on you and how long you will let something hinder you! God has the answer to release the healing from it, but you have to deal with your sin. It's time you own it, instead of sin owning you. Whatever you worship becomes your God, you might never ever consider that you have elevated judgment, bitterness, unforgivingness or other things into a place of becoming your God. However, He sees things differently to what you do, and if you place ungodly attitudes in a higher priority than repentance, you've made demons your friends and yourselves your own god. Your adversary knows this, and very well too. If you want to live a life of health, peace of mind, joy and freedom, then you must come to a place of renouncing the lies of the enemy and loosing him out of your life. If you refuse to correct the misplaced loyalties, and that's what they are; if you fail to come back into a right relationship with God and others, you are chained to the enemy who's been trying to hide this fact from people so that he could continue to remain in their life.

"It's not that some people have willpower and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not."

Mark 12:31

The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

This applies even if your neighbour is that attacker! How can you love your neighbour if you're bitter?

Matthew 5:43-44

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

We agreed to let Christ into our life, but we only seem to apply it to our present and future lives! He is there to help with the past too, and it's important that we let Him, because the past can hinder the future if we don't deal with it! 

God wants to replace all of that past hurt and bitterness with sweet joy! For Him to do that, you need to make room for Him! What's the point in Him trying to sweeten something already doomed to bitterness? God refuses to put new wine in old wineskins! Let go and let God! He has some amazing stuff lined up for you!

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Here's a prayer you may wish to pray! 

Father I'm sorry for all the bitterness that I've let inside my heart. I'm sorry that I got lost through all these lies, and lost sight of You and Your will. Lord, I reject this bitterness and all these lies! Take it from me Father! Heal me from this disease! Continue working in me, and changing me into this new creation that you envisioned me to be! (Continue praying however your heart leads you.)

(P.S Make enquiries at your church about an event called "Freedom in Christ" course! If you have issues with bitterness, resentment, self-worth, or guilt - this course will do wonders for you! I speak from experience! )