January 8, 2019
Bitter Roots: Digging Up the Destructive Source of Resentment
Below you will find an audio of the devotion being read for you, followed by the written devotion. Listen on the go, listen as you read along, or enjoy reading it without the audio. God bless!
The Root of the Problem
Bitterness is a nonproductive, toxic emotion, usually resulting from resentment over unmet needs.
Bitterness is a nonproductive, toxic emotion, usually resulting from resentment over unmet needs.
“Like a master criminal needing support for a big heist, bitterness never works alone. Its insidious partners include jealousy, anger, hatred, disobedience, contempt, gossip, rage, and countless other tag-alongs. The job they’re planning is to rob anyone they can of peace, hope, joy, forgiveness, and mercy. Instead of just inflicting one cut on our souls, bitterness and its gang litter our spiritual path with layers of crushed glass, leaving us to bleed a slow, agonizing death of resentful rage.” (1)
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Heb. 12:14-15).
Bitter Roots Produce Bitter Fruit
Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:18). What makes a tree good or bad? The source is often found in the root. What does a bitter root produce? Poisonous fruit. The New Living Translation renders Hebrews 12:15 this way: “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” The more we meditate on the hurtful actions of others, the more polluted and contaminated our soul becomes. We become obsessed with making sure they pay for their wrongdoings. And guess whom the bitterness hurts the most? Us. A little bitterness goes a long way. Add a little bitterness to any environment and watch it suffer. A few bitter teens can derail a whole youth group. A couple of bitter moms can poison a PTA board. A bitter deacon can split a church. You’ve probably noticed that one bitter person can destroy morale in a work environment. A little griping here, some more complaining there, add some backbiting and gossip, and your workplace becomes hell on earth.
Jesus said, “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit” (Matt. 7:18). What makes a tree good or bad? The source is often found in the root. What does a bitter root produce? Poisonous fruit. The New Living Translation renders Hebrews 12:15 this way: “Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.” The more we meditate on the hurtful actions of others, the more polluted and contaminated our soul becomes. We become obsessed with making sure they pay for their wrongdoings. And guess whom the bitterness hurts the most? Us. A little bitterness goes a long way. Add a little bitterness to any environment and watch it suffer. A few bitter teens can derail a whole youth group. A couple of bitter moms can poison a PTA board. A bitter deacon can split a church. You’ve probably noticed that one bitter person can destroy morale in a work environment. A little griping here, some more complaining there, add some backbiting and gossip, and your workplace becomes hell on earth.
It is time to dig up those roots of bitterness. I can’t stand the taste of bitter fruit. I don’t want to allow my spirit to be poisoned. I want to be pure. I need Jesus to wash me clean. Not just clean from my guiltiness, but clean from ALL bitterness. Roots and all.
Such a freedom comes when we can let go!
Choosing Forgiveness
Francis Frangipane said, “Too many Christians become bitter and angry in the conflict. If we descend into hatefulness, we have already lost the battle. We must cooperate with God in turning what was meant for evil into a greater good within us. This is why we bless those who would curse us: It is not only for their sakes but to preserve our own soul from its natural response toward hatred.”
Francis Frangipane said, “Too many Christians become bitter and angry in the conflict. If we descend into hatefulness, we have already lost the battle. We must cooperate with God in turning what was meant for evil into a greater good within us. This is why we bless those who would curse us: It is not only for their sakes but to preserve our own soul from its natural response toward hatred.”
It is far too easy to become self-righteous about other people’s sins. In these instances, we need to remember how vile our own sin is. We all have the capacity to do horrible things. It is only the mercy and grace of God that keeps us from going deeper and deeper into sin. Therefore, we don’t really have the right to condemn others.
I hate to admit it, but perhaps the greatest motivator for me to forgive others, is that if I refuse to forgive others, God will refuse to forgive me. Let that sink in. Which sounds better? Forgive and be forgiven, or hold onto bitterness and die in your sin.
Watchman Nee said, “”Frequently the enemy entices Christians to harbor an unforgiving spirit – a very common symptom indeed among God’s children. Such bitterness and fault-finding and enmity inflict a severe blow upon spiritual life.”
Choose Faith
I want to close with another quote. This quote is attributed to Richard Cecil. He talks about the difference faith makes in how we view life. “”Faith makes all evil good to us, and all good better; unbelief makes all good evil, and all evil worse. Faith laughs at the shaking of the spear; unbelief trembles at the shaking of a leaf, unbelief starves the soul; faith finds food in famine, and a table in the wilderness. In the greatest danger, faith says, “I have a great God.” When outward strength is broken, faith rests on the promises. In the midst of sorrow, faith draws the sting out of every trouble, and takes out the bitterness from every affliction.”
I want to close with another quote. This quote is attributed to Richard Cecil. He talks about the difference faith makes in how we view life. “”Faith makes all evil good to us, and all good better; unbelief makes all good evil, and all evil worse. Faith laughs at the shaking of the spear; unbelief trembles at the shaking of a leaf, unbelief starves the soul; faith finds food in famine, and a table in the wilderness. In the greatest danger, faith says, “I have a great God.” When outward strength is broken, faith rests on the promises. In the midst of sorrow, faith draws the sting out of every trouble, and takes out the bitterness from every affliction.”
Let’s allow faith to draw the sting out of every trouble in our lives today!
(1) Groeschel, Craig. Soul Detox: Clean Living in a Contaminated World (p. 94). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.