Monday, October 12, 2009

TOXIC- Overcoming Bitterness

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Heb 12.15

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Eph 4.31


In this life you are going to have hurts, disappointments, offenses, abuse, misuse, and a myriad of other things to deal with. If we are not careful, they will result in bitterness. We often try to overcome it by pushing it down and trying to forget it! But if not taken to the Cross of Christ, it will have detrimental affects in our lives. It will spew over eventually and damage not only you but others as well.

Here are some quotes from a sermon I recently did on bitterness:

‘You know you have bitterness if you have a HIT list!’

‘Bitterness doesn’t even touch the person you are bitter toward, but it sure will harm you!’

‘Bitterness is a spirit and attitude characterized by intense animosity and resentment.’

‘Your bitterness, like a computer program running in the background, is constantly running in the your background and will defile you!’

‘Bitterness separates you from others and God.’

‘Bitterness is the spiritual cancer that is eating you from the inside out!’

‘We can’t control what happens in life, but we can control how we respond/react.’

Friends, I am convinced that the toxic root of bitterness is destroying our friends, church members, Church leaders, families, and our country! Could that be the reason we are such a contentious society and church?

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Heb 12.14


Did you think that verse applied only to seeing the Lord in the future? No, it means you will not have fellowship with Him here and now because of the lack of peace with others that bitterness causes you.

Forgiveness is the key to destroying bitterness and it's toxicity. You won't have peace with yourself and others until you do!

1 comment:

Steve Bowen said...

i've been thinking about Pauls lette to Timothy
2Ti 2:24
And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.

I think leaders can have a history of unknown bitterness. It's call being resentful. Resentful that __________.
People left, things are going the way I thought, we're not growing, the church down the street seems to be __________. I wish the people were as passionate as I am. I wish I had better staff. etc.

I think the way out of resentfulness is the same way out of bitterness. Forgive.

Then acknowledge God as God and be thankful.

Lately, I'm stating... I'm not in Darfur picking up sticks to cook my grass, digging a hole for a toilet, and waiting for the rain to take a shower.

steve