LETTING GO OF BITTERNESS

Chi-Chi

BITTERNESS is a Stumbling Block To God's Blessings In Your Life.

Countless people today are bitter because of what they think God has done to them.

Even in the Bible there were people who showed bitterness towards God also. One of such people is Naomi. If you read Ruth 1:20-21, you see where Naomi changed her name to Mara- meaning bitter, because she was blaming God for her terrible experience in Moab. Yet she wasn't supposed to blame God because in the first place, she and her husband disobeyed God by going to Moab- a place God had forbidden the Israelites to go to. Therefore the consequences she and her husband suffered were as a result of their own action- disobedience.

What am I trying to say here? There are always consequences for our actions- good or bad. There are consequences for disobedience (even if you don't know you are disobeying).

Disobedience/ stubbornness (especially in doing something wrong) can very well cause Bitterness. When you refuse to stop a bad habit. When you refuse to end that relationship/ friendship that is immoral and adds no value to your life. When you refuse to let go of the hurts and pains from your past or refuse to forgive the person/people that caused you such pains. Then you are giving every room for Bitterness to come in and dwell with you, and when it does it brings along with it depression; anger (sometimes rage); despair/hopelessness; stagnation (sometimes demotion), doubt/faithlessness (you find it hard to trust anyone); guilt; shame.

The good news is that you don't need to carry all these baggages that Bitterness has to offer. You can end the Bitterness right now but the decision is yours to make. Enough harm has already been done. Why not choose to let go of the Bitterness. There is a walking out of the wrong path and a working out of the right path. Nobody said it's going to be easy and it isn't a day's job,but it 's very possible to enjoy a life free from Bitterness. How?

1. Develop a healthy obsession with doing good works. By this I do not mean you should become another Nelson Mandela or a hero overnight. It may be things as simple as stooping down to give a hug to a hurting child. Stooping down to assist a weak or sick person. Giving out clothing (or any form of help) to a poor person or someone in need. No job is too little if you are seeking to do good to others. You may not know but these simple acts have a healing effect on someone who is bitter. These good works make you look beyond yourself and think about the wellbeing of others.

2. Learn to obey instructions. If Bitterness is a consequence of disobedience, then you'l agree that developing an attitude of obedience to instructions is a sure way of destroying Bitterness. Learn to be discreet in asking questions. Let's face it,it must have been very difficult for Ruth (in the Bible) to serve or obey her embittered mother-in-law, Naomi after their return from Moab. It isn't easy to serve a bitter person. It takes a lot of self discipline and hard work. But if Ruth had not followed Naomi's instruction about Boaz, and if she had not also obeyed Boaz's instructions she wouldn't have married him nor would she have been the mother of the great grand father to David- an ancestor of Jesus. So obedience is a key to overcoming Bitterness.

So what are you still doing about that Bitterness you carry in your heart everyday?. Isn't it time you left it and embrace the beautiful future God has been keeping for you? The time to act is NOW!!!

Wishing you all a blissful week ahead!