Dig It Up!

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31, 32

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When the season of spring first bursts forth in all of its beauty, we have to pull up the weeds (especially the dandelions) by their roots lest they spread and spoil the whole lawn and completely cover the grass. So also do the roots of bitterness in our hearts spoil our souls, unless we pull them up, deal with them, and dispose of them. What better time than this beginning of spring to bring forgiveness into our hearts and reap the rewards of peace and love in our hearts.

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In the past, I have experienced roots of bitterness towards a woman in our church who sowed much discord among the members because our pastor would not include her new agenda into our doctrine. She then left our church and started a new group, taking quite a few people with her. She also continued to contact other members to join them. Since we lived in a small town, I would see her quite often in the stores. I would purposely avoid her, even if it meant going back to my car and going elsewhere to shop for groceries, etc. One day I was buying apples at a local orchard and she came up behind me and gave me a hug, acting as though she was my best friend. She then left as quickly as she appeared. I was dumbfounded. I had not even said a word and was shocked that she didn't seem to have a clue about all the trouble she had caused our pastor and the church.

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Here I was, suffering from the bitterness in my spirit and she wasn't even effected by what she had done. Then a scripture came to my mind. As Jesus hung on the cross this is what He prayed. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:24 The last thing Jesus tasted on the cross was the cup of bitterness. John 19:29,30 says, "Now a vessel full of vinegar was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with vinegar, put it on a reed of hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." If Jesus died for our sin of bitterness, can't we just let it go?

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In Matthew 5:44 Jesus taught: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them who hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." And on the cross, Jesus practiced what He preached. He died with a forgiving heart, not a heart of bitterness.

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I now pray for this woman and when I see her I don't go the other way. I can't develop a relationship with her because she is still being deceived, but I can ask God to show her His truth. When we harbor bitterness in our hearts we are not pleasing God. At the first sign of bitterness or the emergence of any critical spirit I pray Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." A bitter heart needs to be taken to the cross and left there.

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Prayer:

Dear Lord, You have given us the antidote for every sin. May we, in the strength and power of Your Holy Spirit, replace hate with love and bitterness with forgiveness, praying for those who have hurt us. In the precious name of Jesus, who died for those very sins, Amen.

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Challenge:

Search your heart for any bitterness. Read over Luke 23:24 and John 19, meditating on Jesus' heart of forgiveness in the face of the severest betrayal and pain. Take on His spirit of forgiveness each day.

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'Granny' Witt 2009

Granny is my grandmother and the great grandmother of my children. She is an incredible woman full of wisdom and I am honored to share her writings with you.