Bitterness Prison

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Bitterness is like a prison. Walk with me for just a moment and see what the dungeon of bitterness is like. 

The walls are slippery with resentment.

The floor is a sludge of anger.

The stench of betrayal burns the lungs and stings the eyes.

The fog of self-pity forbids a view of the exit.

Victims of bitterness are chained to its walls. 

Bitterness is like that, a dark, deep dungeon that welcomes you inside. It’s easy to go in, isn’t it? You’ve experienced enough hurt that you can, if you choose, be sentenced to a life-term of bitterness. 

Paul exhorted the Ephesian Christ followers to rid themselves of bitterness. It’s an exhortation we need to hear and practice as well. Perhaps your bitterness began when you experienced a hurt of some kind: an unkind word, physical or emotional abuse, an unwelcome sickness, a loss, et al. 

The best thing that we can do is to lay aside the hurts before they become hates. It’s a choice each of us has to make if we want to stay out of “Bitterness Prison.” It’s easier said than done, but we are aided by the Holy Spirit of promise to do just that. 

Dear Christ follower, please remember that what you have is more important than what has been done to you. You have Christ. More importantly, He has you! And like the old George and Ira Gershwin song says, “They can’t take that away from me.” 

Let all bitterness…be put away from you… Ephesians 4:31