Seeds of Bitterness

Hello! I hope you’ve had a great start to your week! As we continue to investigate what seeds we are planting in our lives I want to talk about Bitterness.

As an adult I have grown to love several “bitter” foods - that I would have hated growing up. From vegetables and fruits like brussel sprouts, radishes and cranberries to things like my morning coffee.  So bitterness definitely has its place in our flavor palate but the Bible is clear that it only brings destruction when it takes hold of our hearts.

So, what is “Bitterness” - Bitterness is the anger or disappointment we hold in our hearts when we feel we’ve been treated unfairly - which leads to anger and resentment… and then bitterness grabs ahold of us and grows as we justify those resentful thoughts and continue to convince ourselves that we’ve been mistreated or deserve better. 

James 3:14-16 says 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 

The fruit of bitterness is the opposite of virtues of true Christ like love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 The fruit of bitterness is impatient, unkind, envious, boastful, arrogant and rude.

So how do we get rid of bitterness once it’s there and how do we fight against it taking root again? We pray, we ask the Holy Spirit to do a painful search and reveal where bitterness has creeped into our hearts and we begin to ask for forgiveness as we realize our sin. We begin to lay down our pride and ask Jesus to reign in our hearts…Then we ask God to plant seeds of Christ's love. Seeds that we as followers of Christ, are called to show to all… a love and grace and mercy that we’ve been given freely.

So that is my prayer for you and myself today that Christ’s love be planted firmly in our hearts

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 

4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never ends.

by: Tom Hockensmith, Worship Pastor