Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving on another as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32
Bitterness can be a destructive force in our heart if it lingers and grows. We should always be on guard and be careful that we don’t let a root of bitterness go unchecked. If we do find ourselves overcome with bitterness, with the help of God it can be defeated and overcome in our life. Instead of being consumed by bitterness, we need to learn how to stop bitterness. How do we defeat bitterness?
How do you get rid of a root? You get a shovel and pick and you dig it out. Digging roots up that are deeply entrenched in the ground and have grown and spread out is not easy. Dealing with bitterness may not be easy and you may have do some things that go against our human nature. But if bitterness is going to be dealt with, some tough steps have to be taken.
Forget What Caused It
Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” The words “put away” mean “to dispose of.” It literally means to throw in the trash can. We are to look at whatever hurt us, put it in the right perspective, see it as it really is, trash that needs to be disposed of in our life.
In his book, “Lee: The Last Years,” Charles Flood tells of how after the war, General Robert E. Lee visited a lady that took him to the remains of a grand old tree in front of her house. The tree had been like a family heirloom. She cried as she pointed out the limbs that had been destroyed by Federal artillery fire and the trunk that had been defaced by the Union army. She looked at Lee and asked, “What should she do about it?”After a moment of silence, Lee said, “Cut it down, my dear Madam, and forget it.” Whatever it was that injured you and left you full of bitterness, throw it away. Cut it down and forget it.
Forgive Who Cause It
Ephesians 4:32, says “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” In verse 31, the Bible tells us to put away our bitterness and then in verse 32, it tells us to forgive those who hurt or insulted us. Forgiveness means actually forgiving and letting the matter go. We are to forgive as God has forgiven us. God does not forgive and then bring the matter up again. It is forgiven and forgotten.
We must forget whatever injured us and forgive whoever insulted us. That may not be easy, but on the other hand, is it worth your joy, peace, happiness, and power with God being crowded out of your life.
Scripture to Claim:
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heave may forgive you your trespasses.
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heave may forgive you your trespasses.
