Eliminating Bitterness

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (Ephesians 4:31)

Paul’s advice in today’s key verse is really simple. If you have any bitter feelings toward somebody – get rid of them. Are you still mad and upset at someone, because of what they did to you? Stop it. It’s as simple and as difficult to that.

You may be thinking to yourself, “Well, that is easy for Paul to say” when it really wasn’t, because when Paul wrote these words, he was sitting in a Roman cell unjustly incarcerated, unfairly treated and eventually would lose his life for telling the truth. Yet, you could look through a microscope or a telescope and find no bitterness, no rage, and no unresolved anger in his heart.

“Well,” you say, “Paul is just a lot more spiritual than I am.” But hear me when I say that it is not just a matter of being spiritual; it is a matter of being smart. What do I mean by that? Bitterness is an acid that eats its own container. It is a cancer that destroys its own body. Somebody said bitterness is like drinking poison and then waiting for the other person to die.

Your bitterness has absolutely no effect on the person you are bitter toward. When you are bitter towards someone, you are thinking about that someone, but that someone is not thinking about you. Does your bitterness ever keep you up at night? They are sleeping like a baby. Does your bitterness ever give you indigestion? They are eating like a pig. The problem with bitterness is it grows, and it controls, and it consumes, which is why we must eliminate it.

If you’re struggling with bitterness, I would encourage you spend some time in prayer today and ask the Lord to help you have a forgiving, gracious heart, and to follow Paul’s example by removing all bitterness, rage, and anger.

Dear Lord, I don’t want to sit in my bitterness. I want to be free of this horrible, restraining feeling. Please rid my heart of all bitterness, rage and anger, and give me instead your everlasting joy, peace, and comfort. In Jesus’ name, amen.