The Root of Bitterness

November 6

Ezekiel 17-18

Psalm 119:113-120

Proverbs 26:23-25

Hebrews 12:14-29

The Root of Bitterness

“Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.” Hebrews 12:15 HCSB

The root of a plant is something that grows below the surface. You don’t see the roots unless you dig up the plant. The root fuels the plant. It gives it life and nutrients. Without the root system the plant will die. This is a very good description of bitterness. The root of bitterness is often hidden beneath the surface. It may not be discernable at first. Unfortunately, the root of bitterness is a poison that brings forth the deadly plants of unforgiveness, malice, anger, and resentment. Instead of fueling growth and health, it fuels destruction. Bitterness grows like a root under the surface and fuels rage, anger, and malice so that they grow and spread like weeds. Bitterness begins with hurt feelings that are not dealt with. Instead of addressing the issue, they are pushed down inside and begin to take root. Merriam-Webster defines bitterness as a “deep-seated ill will, animosity, antagonism, hostility, a harsh or sharp quality, biting sharpness of feeling or expression.”21 Ephesians 4:31 tells us to “get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (NIV) Bitterness is a poison that eats away or corrodes from the inside.

My favorite TV shows are Criminal Minds, Bones, Rizzoli and Isles, NCIS, and Crossing Jordan. Do you see a theme? I love murder mysteries. When the person is murdered by a gun shot, suffocation, or stabbing, cause of death is easy to figure out, so they just need to figure out who did it. But poison is much more difficult to discern. It can be hidden or masked to look like a heart attack or other natural health issues. There are also a lot of different kinds of poison that cannot be discovered by a simple blood test and can go undetected. That is a perfect description of bitterness. It is a poison deep down in the soul that can slowly eat away at you and destroy you from the inside. It may be hidden for a while, but as the root of bitterness grows, it will eventually come to the surface. It results in holding on to angry feelings, being easily offended, angry outbursts, gossip, and slander. Eventually the person who is bitter comes across as cold, harsh, cynical, sarcastic, and unpleasant to be around. Left unchecked their bitterness and resentment will not only be directed at the person who originally hurt them but will manifest itself toward anyone in their lives. Ephesians 4:32 tells us how to deal with such bitterness by “being kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as Christ God forgave you.” (NIV) The best way to deal with bitterness is to appropriately handle the hurt and angry feelings when they happen instead of pushing them down inside and letting them consume us. The root must be dug up and thrown away to get rid of it. The first step is asking God to reveal any root of bitterness that we have toward anyone and giving those feelings of hurt and anger to Him. Asking Him to help us forgive and move on is the only way to get rid of bitterness.