Bitterness is a sneaky thing. It starts small and gradually grows larger if it goes unattended. Often one might not notice until its a large cancer, but by then, its roots go so deep that its hard to remember, “Why should I get rid of this?”
Or maybe its how do I get rid of it?
There doesn’t seem to be a quick fix the bitterness. It’s something our flesh and pride wants to hold on to. Ephesians 4:31 clearly says, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.”
As I read this I thought, “God, how do I simply get rid of bitterness, or as the King James says, “put it away” from myself?”
I didn’t have to look very far for an answer to my question, God simply lead me on to the next verse. Ephesians 4, verse 32, says, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ as forgiven you.” As I read the beginning I kinda thought, “Hmm, sounds familiar.” Flip to 1 Corinthian 13, and BAM! Verse 4 begins with “love is patient and kind”. So I remembered a wise horse trainer once telling me that you can’t train a horse out of a bad habit, but you can replace the habit with a good one.
You do this because bad and good are opposites, they cannot co-exist. Light chases out darkness, evil must flee good, and faith overcomes fear. I’ve always found this interesting.
But getting back to 1 Cor. 13, I thought, “Ohhhhh, duh, love is the opposite.” Bitterness is to be resentful towards someone, so naturally, wouldn’t the opposite be to love that someone? Ummm, yeah pretty much. Pretty simple, but it rocked my little world.
It caused me to do something a little… abnormal. I found the person I held bitterness towards, and I stepped out in did something in love towards them.
Bitterness? Bye-bye.
It was a small, simple, and to me stupid, bitterness but love canceled it. To deal with larger bitterness can be tougher. The longer its been there, the harder it is to dig up and get rid of it, but the principle doesn’t change. It just takes prayer for God’s love(‘cause mine just won’t do), and a lot more faith.
I just heard a wise women say today, weeks after I first learned this lesson, that love is a weapon. Gooooooooood way to put it! It is a deadly weapon, destroying all its opposites(have I said opposites enough?).
This lesson begun with bitterness, lead into love, and, to me, can be summed up with 1 Peter 4:8, “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”
God’s love sent His Son to die, covering our sins, now our love covers other’s sins, and I’m learning, also covers our sins in the process. If that’s what love does, looks like I need more of it in my life.
