Bitterness - a poison root that hurts the one holding it.

Bitterness is a lonely place

Bitterness - the only person it is really hurting is the person holding on to it. All to often, I see the effects of bitterness on people. It could be a sarcastic remark, a rude comment, a glaring look or a simple "hmm" during conversation. Lets get something straight - bitterness is like cancer, eating a person from within. The Bible is very clear on this - it calls bitterness a poisonous root....and if it is a root, the means it is the start of something bigger.

Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.Hebrews 12:15

I would go as far to say that if you have bitterness, you may not have forgiven the person you are bitter at. This is very dangerous. Jesus warned us about this - in Matthew 6:14-15 He says, " “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." You have to think to yourself....is that really worth it?

So you may be asking yourself, "How do I know if I am holding onto bitterness?" Here are a few examples I found from the Mayo Clinic:

• Dwelling on the events surrounding the offense
• Hearing from others that you have a chip on your shoulder or that you're wallowing in self-pity
• Being avoided by family and friends because they don't enjoy being around you
• Having angry outbursts at the smallest perceived slights
• Often feeling misunderstood
• Drinking excessively, smoking or using drugs to try to cope with your pain
• Having symptoms of depression or anxiety
• Being consumed by a desire for revenge or punishment
• Automatically thinking the worst about people or situations
• Regretting the loss of a valued relationship
• Feeling like your life lacks meaning or purpose
• Feeling at odds with your religious or spiritual beliefs

If you find yourself having several of the above examples, you may need to forgive someone...remember - the forgiveness frees you, not the other person.

And here are some benefits of forgiveness also noted from the Mayo Clinic:

Forgiveness, on the other hand, offers numerous benefits, including:

• Lower blood pressure
• Stress reduction
• Less hostility
• Better anger management skills
• Lower heart rate
• Lower risk of alcohol or substance abuse
• Fewer depression symptoms
• Fewer anxiety symptoms
• Reduction in chronic pain
• More friendships
• Healthier relationships
• Greater religious or spiritual well-being
• Improved psychological well-being

The choice to forgive and let go of bitterness is entirely up to you. No one else can make it, but you. The choice should be obvious, the benefits are overwhelming - Now the decision is yours.

Here is a quote that I found today. I think that it is a very fitting way to end today's Blog.

Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it. Bitterness paralyzes life; love empowers it. Bitterness sours life; love sweetens it. Bitterness sickens life; love heals it. Bitterness blinds life; love anoints its eyes. - Harry Emerson Fosdick