Bitterness Begets Bitterness

A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Prov. 17:22 NASB)

Bitterness in our hearts will lead to more bitterness, thereby creating opportunities to be even more bitter, and triggering a cascade of bitterness in our lives. We become bitter when our hearts are wounded by life, such as hurtful relationships, betrayal, failure, disappointments, etc. If we harbor that bitterness and cause it to grow and establish, it will extend its tentacles and touch other aspects of our lives, creating even more bitterness.

Sooner or latter, that bitterness may touch your job, and you might get fired because of poor performance, creating even more opportunity for bitterness. Some get entangled with addiction, creating even more reasons to be bitter. Bitterness will beget bitterness. The scripture above says a “broken spirit dries up the bones.” Bitterness will extend to our health with all sorts of diagnoses, allergies, and emotional or mood disorders that were not there before. Break the bitterness cascade in your life before its downward spiral is set into motion.

MEDITATE

Ponder on the scripture above. See how the Lord compares the effects of joy in the heart versus bitterness.

PRAY

It is amazing how we can sometimes cover up bitterness. Ask the Father to unveil every part of your heart where there is bitterness and give you the grace to let it go.

ACT NOW!

You are piercing your own heart with a dagger by keeping bitterness in your heart for one more day. Give it to the Lord today. If you are bitter, then there is usually someone that needs to be forgiven, which may also be you or even God! Please do not read God’s Word and do nothing about it. Respond to the Word! Ephesians 4:31‒32 (NASB) says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

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