Thoughts for Life: Are You Bitter?

Jean Oathout:What does it take
to make us bitter? Do we understand the effects it has on us to remain bitter?

When someone is holding bitterness against someone, there are repercussions that take place.

Here are a few we can actually experience while holding onto bitterness: bad attitudes...resentment...anger... ill will towards the person... loneliness and some effects on our bodies and spirits.

If we profess to be a Christian, we'll find our soul, (mind will and emotions), is affected too. It may also have some effect on our finances and relationships, as we'll tend to become withdrawn and selfish.

The fact is, God cannot have sweet communion with us if we hold a grudge and have bitterness in our hearts.

As God is LOVE, His desire is that we forgive...and He is able to help us forgive anyone of anything, if we'll give it all to Him to deal with.

You'll find that He wants to rid us of any bitterness we've held onto, and to fill us with love for the person who we believe wronged us, believe it or not! That's one of the blessings for His children God's noted for!

I urge you to pray with a trusted friend and share your thoughts on this subject, and seek for the counsel to overcome any bitterness you may harbor.

God bless you, my friend, as you seek the Lord's help to get free of bitterness...

Since God Loves us, He'll Check Each Heart

Since God loves us, He'll check each heart

To know what's hidden there.

For He alone takes it apart

And opens it up bare.

God will reveal from time to time

The things we tend to hide.

It's for our good, we then will find,

If we get past our pride.

If you do want God to bless you,
And lead you in his way,

All bitterness and anger too,

Are thoughts that must not stay.

We are to deal with what we see

By facing it as fact.

We'll overcome; have victory,

If we will not react.

Let God's Word guide you, so you'll know
His Spirit you won't grieve,
For you will find his love can flow
As evil traits will leave.

You must confess you understand,
When once you've see your need.
Ask Jesus then, to take command
So your soul will be freed.

By Jean Oathout

Revised

Let's pray-

Father, may our hearts be touched by Your grace, to enable us to forgive others when they speak or act in ways that tend to upset us.

Give us friends who'll pray with us, and who'll encourage us to leave our hard feelings with You, and to trust You to bring healing to us.

I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Today's Bible verse-

(Eph. 4:31, 32 NIV) "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

(Eph. 4:31, 32 CEV*) "Stop being bitter and angry and mad at others. Don't yell at one another or curse each other or ever be rude. Instead, be kind and merciful, and forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ."

*Contemporary English Version

Today's quotes-

“Forgiveness means it finally becomes unimportant that
you hit back; you’re done. It doesn’t mean that you want
to have lunch with the person!” Anne Lammott Dreaming Beneath the Spires.

"It grieves the Holy Spirit when He is not allowed to provide the assistance a person needs. He has gifts to give, but they are not being received. We need to rid ourselves of all bitterness so that it will bring relief to ourselves, others and the Holy Spirit. Amen?" James A. Durham in A FIRE FALLS Moving into Holy Spirit Fire, pp. 176, 177).

Our special link today-

On the Surprising Physical and Mental

Health Benefits of Forgiveness

Anita Mathias's Blog on Faith and Art

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It's Time to Pray!

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God Give Us the Grace to Pay the Price

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