See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God;
that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble
and by it many be defiled.
Hebrews 12:15

Bitterness is hurt cherished past sundown and
becomes the nest that devils dig
in your soul
to infect your whole being
with Satan's own rage toward God.

Do not let the sun go down on your anger,
and do not give the devil a foothold.
Eph. 5:26 NIV

Bitterness is pain twisted into malice,
injustice turned to legalism,
sin changed into evil.

Bitterness takes root when you believe you are
"above the Most High God" -
more "just" than God, more "good" than Jesus
and more "able" than the Spirit.

Bitterness sprouts and grows from the dirt of pride.
The arrogance of "I would never do what you did"
and the egotism that scorns the offender as worthless.

Bitterness is unforgiveness that thrusts a root into
your heart from which a spontaneous evil
grows and becomes the caustic fruit of your life.
Then, eaten and digested
by all your world.

Bitterness is a stage on which the devil can rehearse
the scenes of your injustice and you can sit
in the audience, reviewing the pictures and words, remembering,
remembering . . .
over and over and over and . . . .

Bitterness is a disease of the soul
that turns into literal poison and
infects your own body
with sickness and . . . the Body Of Christ.

When you fail to forgive the offender,
you become the offender yourself.
You, now the guilty, instead of the other.
And your oppressor has turned into your victim
with the same measure of offense against you
that you had with him . . .

perhaps more.

 Previous/Next in Series

Copyright © 2001 Martha Blaney Kilpatrick