Beware 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;” (Heb 12:15 AV)

 

Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines bitterness as, “A bitter taste; or rather a quality in things which excites a biting disagreeable sensation in the tongue.  In a figurative sense, extreme enmity, grudge, hatred; or rather an excessive degree or implacableness of passions and emotions; as the bitterness of anger.”  If we take many cases of bitterness we see in the scriptures, some were understandable while others were not.  Hannah was in bitterness of soul because she was tormented for having no children.  Job was in bitterness of soul over his great loss.  Yet, Simon was in the gall of bitterness.  Sometimes, God takes pity on those bitter of soul.  Sometimes, He does not.  Bitterness, if we are not careful, can be a powerful emotion that defines one’s life.  Something these cases have in common is their attitude towards their circumstances.  Either they think it unfair or unjustified.  Job could not figure out why the LORD allowed his circumstances.  He became bitter.  Hannah could not understand why she was not blessed with children while her nemesis was.  She became bitter.  Simon wanted fame without humility.  He was trapped in bitterness.

The real danger of bitterness is who or what it affects.  In our verse above, it affects others.  The context is our reaction to correction.  The bitterness that can come because we do not humbly accept God’s correction can defile many.  We can allow our reaction to God’s hand to discourage those who desire to walk with God.  They can become bitter by following our example and then the correcting hand of God does no effect.  However, the real danger in bitterness is our reaction to God Himself.  To become bitter against God is a real danger.  This is where Job began to teeter.  In struggling to find purpose in his calamity, it was suggested God would have been better served if Job was not created at all.  Job suggested the LORD perhaps made a mistake in creating him and then destroying him.  In the bitterness of his soul, he came very close to accusing God of less than divine purposes or ability.  He came right up to the edge.  Satan, in his pride, has nothing but contempt and bitterness against God.  He felt slighted that he could no be equal with his maker.  Bitterness is a dangerous emotion because it bores right down to the center of the heart and it is almost impossible to root it out. 

Helen Keller said, “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long in disappointment and bitterness at the closed door that we do not expectantly look for and therefore see with pleasure and gratitude the one which has been opened for us.”  Bitterness is a pause in the emotional health and growth of the soul.  When bitterness takes root, it overpowers all other positive emotions.  It steals from us the ability to be joyful, content, happy, and pleased with the fortune of others.  Bitterness is a weed that chokes off all other emotions that might produce fruit to the benefit of the heart and God.  Bitterness must be avoided at all costs.  Accepting God’s plan for our lives is the beginning.  Being grateful no matter the circumstances also helps.  Sharing in the joy of another is therapeutic.  Bitterness is a monster sitting at the door, waiting to be let in that it might consume and destroy all it finds within.  When we become bitter against God, that is the worst evil.  We are saying to God that the free gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins is insufficient.  That is a dangerous place to be.