Don't Drink the Poison

As I reflect on 2011 and look forward to 2012, I realize that I have some bitterness I need to deal with.  A great way to check your heart for bitterness is to write down things you are thankful for.  If you are ungrateful, you can usually trace it back to bitterness.  I am striving towards understanding my bitterness, forgiving those who hurt me, and releasing my issues to God to handle for me.  I hope that my thoughts and God's word about the subject are helpful to you.

I really like the quote, "Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Have you ever been bitter towards another person? I have. Who ended up feeling badly?  I bet the other person did not even know about your bitterness, but it was making you very sick. Am I right?  I have made myself physically ill by holding bitterness in my heart.  Hebrews 12:15 says Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. http://read.ly/Heb12.15.NLT. You see, if I have bitterness in my heart, my bitterness is hurting me. It is a poisonous root, and it is poisoning me.  It is also contagious...corrupting many, the verse ends in saying.  I have noticed that when I am holding onto bitterness, people around me start to have a bad attitude too. 

So what do you do if you are bitter? First, you have to recognize that bitterness is selfish, and it is a sin.  You must repent, and ask God to kill the root of bitterness in your heart. Confess to the person you are bitter towards, and forgive them.  Bitterness grows in the soil of unforgiveness.  Stop looking back at the past. Pastor Mark Driscoll said, "Bitter people are like archeologists. They can dig up anything from the past."  Look to the future, to the good things God prepared for you long ago. http://read.ly/Eph2.10.NLT. Forgive and be thankful.  I had to make a decision that I was going to forgive those who hurt me.  As I reflect on my life and relationships, I realize how much I have to be thankful for.  That bitter root in me is already withering away.  Fighting bitterness is a battle.  If you are really bitter, it may take a while.  You have to decide to not allow bitterness to control you anymore.  So what's your decision?  I choose life!