Hebrews 12:15 "See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many are defiled."
My wife needs some dental work done, but first she needs to take care of a problem. One of her teeth broke and before the dentist can do an implant, he has to take out the roots from the old tooth. Ouch!! Why not avoid the pain and suffering and just cover up the old roots? Simple...they could get infected and send poison throughout her whole body. It's far better to have the roots removed, uncomfortable as that might be, and start over with a healthy mouth.
Bitterness is poison to the soul. It permeates my thinking, taints my emotions, distorts reality, contaminates my relationships, and erodes my faith. It starts with an injury. Someone hurts me deeply. It might be a close friend or relative. I might even perceive it to be God. Instead of dealing with the hurt, I hold on to it, allowing its roots to penetrate deep into my heart. I think it's gone, but I've only covered it up, and unbeknownst to me, it is growing and affecting every part of me. It's like a cancer. At some point it will need to be removed or it will kill me.
Openness, confession, repentance, forgiveness, mercy, grace, release...these are all key to keeping hurt from becoming bitterness. They're also the surgical instruments needed to remove it once it has become rooted.
Holy Spirit, please shine your light in every nook and cranny of my heart today. Expose any root of bitterness I may have covered up. Give me the strength and faith to deal with it. Amen.
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