Bitterness

Bitterness, even typing the word, makes my heart so very sad. I have spend time in this prison. I sentenced myself though unforgiveness. I was so mad. Mad at everybody, my life, myself and even God. That really looks bad on paper, but it is time for the truth. The truth, which I hope will help other people see something that just might ring a bell with them. You all know how easy it is to see other people and their issues, but we are blind as a bat to our own. So, on with the story.

I was really blind, naive, ignorant, stubborn and so full of myself it is a wonder I functioned at all. Now understand, I am not bragging or complaining, just getting real. The truth hurts. Whether you figure it out, someone tells you or God in His mercy reveals it to you. I've had some of it all. But the bitterness that racked my soul and spirit for the better part of twenty years was a weapon in the hand of the devil. It kept me from the abundant life Jesus died to give me. It kept joy and peace at bay.The only thing bitterness brought with it was misery, depression, hopeless and discouragement.

Little did I know, all I had to do was forgive. Forgive others, myself and the part I thought God had played in all of it. I was just too mad to forgive. I just wanted things my way because I knew what needed to happen. I knew how people should act. I knew how the world ought to run.The truth is: I knew nothing. The longer it went on, the more time I spent rehashing it, rethinking it, telling myself over and over how it should be, the worse it got. I would not let it go. It consumed me. If I saw the person involved or was reminded of the situation, it started all over again. THIS IS BITTERNESS.

The cure for bitterness is FORGIVENESS. That is the way of escape. It sounds so easy, but it is hard when you haven't done it. It is that same forgiveness Jesus has given to us. When He was hanging on the cross He said: "Father, forgive them, for the do not know what they do." Neither do we.We don't know what we have done to others and they don't know what they have done to us. So Gods great solution is just haul off and forgive everybody for everything and be done with it. You are off the hook. Others are off your hook and best of all you are finally free. The freedom, only Jesus, can give you. It's all wrapped up nice and neat in His grace. Why not apply His grace today? What is stopping you? You need it. I need it. Everybody in the world needs it.