Bitterness also called resentment, is a complex, multilayered emotion that has a mixture of disappointment, disgust, anger, and fear. This is the perfect and idea recipe for bitterness.
Bitterness can feel worse than anger because it involves feeling helpless. Referred to as 'embitterment' in psychology circles, bitterness happens when you feel there is no action left to take because everything is out of your control.
Bitterness is a deep-seated ill-will, and the results of it is animosity, antagonism, bad-blood, grudge and hostility. From bitterness comes the feelings of hatred, tension, malice, spite, then stir in loathing, vindictiveness, discord, which makes you have venomous and unfriendly thoughts that can contribute to a vendetta or a blood-feud.
All bitterness starts out as hurt. The emotional pain is related to how it is arrived by whoever, or whatever that provoked the hurt. The bitter person thinks that it was done maliciously. They feel as though someone has committed a grave injustice toward them and it has caused them grief, anger, and resentment.
Bitterness is like a weed whose roots grows very deep into the soil. But this soil is your soul. Once bitterness takes root, it is very difficult to remove it. The more you brew on the injustice, the deeper the root grows. You keep replaying the incident over and over in your mind and the more you relive it, the more embedded bitterness becomes.
Bitterness do not leave room for anything else. The more anger and resentment that's in your life, the less pleasant things will be there. Guess what? Believe it or not, you are only hurting yourself.
Whoever has hurt you and caused you feelings of bitterness, by keep reliving it over and over again, it is hurting you, not them. That person who inflicted this pain on you isn't or hasn't been affected. They are living their life to the fullest. When you hold onto that bitterness, you are only destroying yourself, and you have given them all of your power. Why do you want to give them your power and control? Ask God to help you, let it go.
Forgiveness is the final step you need to take before you can let go of the old bitter you and create a new you. Forgiveness is about releasing the person who hurt you, even if that person was you. That person who hurt you will have to face the consequences of their actions, with God. Forgiveness is releasing the limit of your future because of what happen in the past. Forgiveness is like giving yourself grace and that mistake do not define you.
Forgiveness is embracing a new story in your life, so write your story and make it fun.
Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "All bitterness, anger, and wrath, insult and slander must be removed from you, along with all wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another just as God also forgave you in Christ."
God requires forgiveness! Forgiveness is your choose, but is a requirement from God. God wants us to live in peace with one another. We should never allow our resentment to grow into bitterness. But understand that we are to forgive because we have been forgiven. I know what you are saying, "You don't know what they did to me." No, I don't, but Jesus knows. Jesus was perfect and sinless, but He was spit on, beaten, and hung on a rugged cross. Yet, John 3:16 says that He loved the world enough to go through this horrible death, but He died for us and the whole world. Did we deserve it? NO! Did He allow bitterness into His heart? NO!
Move on! Allow Jesus to heal you. Let it go and allow God to comfort and console your wounded broken heart. It's forgiveness time. Let go and let God! We are told to forgive others as has Christ forgiven us!
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