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STOP TAKING BITTERNESS PILLS

THE INFERNAL VIRUS

Have you ever heard of anyone dying from chronic bitterness? Well, it happens. We just have different names for it, like diabetis, cancer, heart disease, and everything else except ingrown toe nails. It's all the bitterness virus.


Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah (Don't try this two-wife thing at home), sweet and pretty. But she learned to "bottle up" disappointments until they built up into obsessive bitterness. God had closed her womb, but Peninnah, the other wife, was like "The Old Lady In The Shoe." As it was Hannah's desire to bear children, or even one child, it gave her reason to grieve bitterly.


And even worse, Elkanah gave "portions," of his wealth, to his other wife, his grandchildren, and his great grandchildren. But to Hannah, he gave "a worthy portion," because, childless or not, he loved her the most. Nevertheless, it built up inside of her, and ". . . her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb" (1Samuel 1:6).


Who was "her adversary;" who provoked her? It was "Old Scratch" (Satan), who rarely talks directly to us, as he did to Eve. In this day and age, he speaks to us in the first person like this: "I've been jilted. God is punishing me for something. Why would he let that old hag, my husband's other wife, drop babies like a tree full of apples, and here I sit, day-in, day-out, dying slowly from sorrow. Everybody knows that my husband loves me more than her. Can't God see that? I am a laughing stock. I have nobody."


Theme Text

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you (Ephesians 4:31, 32).


It turned out all right for Hannah. She took her bitterness to the LORD, and "in bitterness of soul," she "prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore" (1Samuel 1:10). But in her desperation for a "man child," she vowed that if the LORD would honor her prayer, she would give that boy, when weaned, to the LORD, "all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head." And that meant that she would never have him during his formative years or have any part in raising him as a mother. She did the right thing, but it had a different turn.


THE INTERNAL STRUGGLE


Getting rid of bitterness is a terrible struggle. It is so subtle, that we, who think we are spiritual, hang on to it, because it feels good in a sadistic way. But it hinders prayers, and shapes attitudes and it's difficult to recognize, especially if we have injured feelings and emotions brought on by somebody whom we love. Some people have a lifetime of injured feelings and disappointments from loved ones whom they want to please.




Norma Jean (revised true event) was a very capable woman who loved the LORD and was a soul winner. But one day her husband decided he didn't love her anymore, so he took off with another woman. Norma Jean died when she was only in her early sixties. She had so many more years and talents to offer, but she could not forgive her former husband for his desertion, and deep bitterness destroyed her health.

The bitterness began to show in her facial expressions and she began a slow physical decline. She not only would "bad mouth" her ex-husband, but she found it easy to complain about almost everything and everybody. And whenever the pastor preached on marriage and divorce, she took out a book and read it, choosing to ignore the message. "I just shut my ears until he's through with that part," she said. She was no longer pleasant to be around and it was an effort to be her friend. "My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul" (Job 10:1).

Jody (revised true event) became almost insanely angry and resentful at the man who fired her husband, for no seemingly good reason. She, too, was a very spiritual person, soul winner, and Bible teacher. But bitterness built up inside of her. Suddenly, she realized that it was beginning to affect her service to the LORD. "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Hebrews 12:15).


The more she thought of that man, the more she lapsed into bitterness, but she knew it and decided to do something about it. She went into her prayer closet and confessed it to the LORD, but it came back when she had to be around her husband's ex-boss. The ritual of confession, repentance, victory, and anger at the mere appearance of the man, was repeated over and over, until she could really claim complete victory, and she could sit in the same room with him and not get angry.

John (revised true event) was a deacon, a diligent Bible student and soul winner. But there was an controversial issue that arose in the church, in which John became angry to the point of accusing the pastor of embezzlement. It was obvious to most members and deacons that the charges were not true, but John got so bitter, that he began to make up accusations against the pastor, even challenging his salvation. ". . . who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:12)

That was a big mistake. "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things" (Romans 2:1). The more he made angry charges, the more his health declined. He eventually became known for his critical nature. His ministry dissolved and he lost his children to the world.

But he would never admit to bitterness, so how could he repent as long as he proclaimed his own self-righteousness, continuing in his bitterness of the pastor. "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:26).
THE ETERNAL VICTORY


A technique our oldest son teaches, applies very well for those locked into a mode of bitterness. It is to ask the LORD to show you those hidden sins of the heart.

Search for every scrap of bitterness: "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled" (Hebrews 12:15).
Write them down in a list: "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth" (James 3:14).
Pray over them for as many times as it takes for you to know in your heart that you have forgiven every wrong: "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses" (Mar 11:25).
Accept the victory: "Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back" (Isaiah 38:17).
Tear up the list and flush it down the commode: "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12).
The Psalmist said, "His mercy endureth forever." But of all the commandments in the Bible, the words of Jesus lift us out of the sump of bitterness we allow ourselves to fall into: "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, until seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:21).[/b]

A very good lesson to be learned here, Barbara.....many thanks!

- Judy

very, very interesting --informative --must study more when I have time to
fully digest all that you posted.

Thanks for sharing,

Love in Christ,

Joyce