Isaiah 11—13, Ephesians 4 Key Verse: Ephesians 4:31
Do you remember the medicines your mother tried to give you as a child? There was aspirin,
cough syrup, cod liver oil and more. And for some reason mothers were always trying to get kids
to take castor oil. All I remember is that they all tasted terrible.
Sometimes bitter tastes make us healthy; sometimes they don’t. Bitterness is a bit like that. It
tastes terrible, but it doesn’t do us any good. That’s why Paul said, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage
and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice” (4:31). Did you notice what
topped the list of bad medicine? Bitterness.
Bitterness is the only substance that does more damage to its container than it does to those it is
applied to. It destroys people, but not those who are its recipients. Bitterness destroys those who
are bitter towards others.
If you are bitter toward your spouse, your boss, your pastor, your sibling, your parents, your
neighbor or anyone else in your life, they are untouched and unharmed by your bitterness.
Identify your bitterness. Admit it. Confess it. Discard it. It’s the only way to have a relationship
with others that benefits both of you.. Replace bitterness with forgiveness and you will replace
acid with honey.
“Lord, don’t allow me to retain bitterness. Help me to confess it as sin and forsake it. Help me to
realize the personal harm bitterness causes, not to those toward whom I am bitter, but to me.”
Woodrow Kroll & Tony beckett
www.backtothebible.in