Pause & Check

Luke 11:^34&36 “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness… If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant…”

The first problem with bitterness is Bitterness Has A Dangerous Root. The second problem with bitterness is Bitterness Produces A Poisonous Fruit.  Hebrews 12:¹⁵ “See to it that … no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (NIV, emphasis added). When the root of bitterness grows up, it causes trouble and defiles many. Bitterness is not just a root—It is a root that produces bad fruit. Most times, we think the bitterness is just in our hearts. We think we can manage it. Sometimes we even convince ourselves that we are using it as security so that we know what to do next time. And so that we can watch out for ourselves.

What we do not know is that root produces a bad fruit. And the issue is you cannot use your hands to cover the fruit. Fruit will always manifest, that is the nature of fruit. Some of you reading this right now are probably thinking, I hope so and so is reading their devotional today. Guess what? It is you, yes you that God is speaking to. Not that other person, not your spouse, not your boss, but you. It is you. So, before you point that finger, remember that bitterness is one of the most difficult sins to see in the mirror. Why? It is because when you are bitter, you feel justified in how you feel. I am only angry because they did it. If they did not do it, I would not be angry.

There is nothing glorious about bitterness spiritually. It strips you of grace and this race is a ‘grace-race’. So, anything that will frustrate the grace of God upon your life, anything that will strip your grace, you need to stay far away from it. Therefore, I want you to take a moment and ask yourself, honestly, do you have a root of bitterness? Pause, and ask yourself—unto thyself be true. Do you have a root of bitterness? Are you holding a grudge? Are you carrying a hurt? Are you nursing an offense at work? Is your boss unbearable? After all your sacrifices, after all that you have done. Without you, the company would have collapsed. And he dares talk to you like that? Bitterness! Or is it that you are sick and tired of being criticized?

If you are being criticized it means that you are actually ahead. It is only a fruitful tree that gets pelted. So, it means you are actually causing waves. You should be comfortable with criticism. Or do you feel like people do not appreciate you? Take a moment and consider, do you have a bitter root in you? Are you upset with yourself? Sometimes, people are bitter at themselves. You hold yourself in such high esteem and now you have let yourself down. How can I make this kind of mistake? God has forgiven you, forgive yourself and move on.

Prayer: Father, flood my life with Your light so that my fruit will be good, in Jesus Name. Amen!