Anger and bitterness are very real. Once established they are hard to get out of our lives. There is good reason Jesus taught against holding on to anger in the Bible… saying: be angry and sin not; don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Guard against the root of bitterness. Life lessons are that anger left unaddressed can and usually do turn into a bitter root.
When I moved into my house it was fixer. One of the problems was an over grown yard. In my newly acquired jungle were several Yucca plants. Yucca plants are a succulent. The top of the plant can be killed off but the root continues to grow deeper. I found that Yuccas are very hard to kill. The only effective death is irradiation, by removing the root. Because of the moisture in the root it is very resilient. Weed killer doesn’t kill the it. This knowledge was gained through experience. I began to dig up one of the more stubborn Yucca roots in the jungle, what I found surprised me. The root appeared dead. I grabbed the exposed section finding inside the dead shell was a new root that was white, very long and very much alive. I was amazed at how hardy it was.
I began to think about bitterness and how it can effect everything we do, the way we act as well as the way we think about things. Bitterness is like a drug. I know that sounds like a stretch but bear with me for a minute. Bitterness is a consuming appetite. When you express it, even therapeutically expressed it can fester if not removed. We like to talk about what we are angry about, especially with someone who supports our position. When anger and bitterness are left alone, no longer feeding them they go into a dormant stage, but a root of bitterness never goes away by itself. Jesus felt so strongly about dealing with anger and bitterness that he said that if you are in front of the altar (or in church) ready to present your offering (come before him in an attitude of worship and giving our hearts to him) but have an offence against your brother, leave your offering at the altar and go to your brother and ask for forgiveness then come back to church and present your offering. We aren’t told to get forgiveness from our brother, but go and forgive. It is not distinguished between if we have done something against our brother or if our brother has done something against us.
Bitterness feels good at the time of exercise, when talking about what someone has done to us; when defending ourselves. That exercise never feels good afterward, but always leaves us feeling unsatisfied, empty and in despair. It is a hopeless, unquenchable appetite that has to be taken out by the root, removed completely for a healthy attitude to be restored, for the sight of things to be brought back into focus. The extraction is not easy, but worth every effort to make sure even the smallest amount of the root is removed. Like the Yucca root, a tiny piece of the root can take growth again, sprouting up when unexpected. The deeper it goes the harder it is to get to the root of the problem.
Freedom after the release of bitterness is unspeakable. When we hold anything against a person it becomes bitterness in our hearts. We are the ones held in captivity. The entire time we are holding someone in contempt we are the anxious party and in constant turmoil every time we see; hear about or even think about that person or group of people. So who is in prison? Who is being hurt by the bitterness?
As Christians holding on to bitterness causes the loss of peace in our lives, creating separation from intimacy with God. Have you ever tried to go into your prayer closet when you are really mad, only to find that you are talking to the wall or ceiling?
None of us want to disqualify ourselves from running the race toward the goal of gaining Jesus.
Let’s use the same idea of bitterness as a drug. An Olympic runner trains hard for a lifetime to be able to participate in a race resulting in gaining a gold medal. When the race is complete a drug test is required. If the winning runner is found to have used any drug, that runner is disqualified. Their lifelong dream is shattered due to disqualification. The drug of bitterness is intoxicating we don’t recognize the effect it has on us until it disqualifies us from our goal…intimacy with God along with the his purposes being worked out in us and through us for others.
Jesus even said forgive those who have treated you wrongfully just as your father in Heaven has forgiven you.
Ridding our hearts of bitterness and unforgivness is one of those things in life that are worth every ounce of effort, every cost necessary. The blessing of intimacy with God and his guidance along with being used for his purposes outweigh me holding on to any anger or bitterness from any thing anyone could do to me. This life is temporal; the things of God are eternal. I want to stay in the race because I want don’t want to miss out on anything my Heavenly Father has for me.
Just some thoughts about life gained on my journey of learning to walk in step with the Spirit.
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