Saturday Scripture Gold with Bibi: Does The Root of Bitterness Infect Your Life?

Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work.

You've probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That's true forgiveness.

You have probably heard some people say that they can never forgive. Maybe you have said it too! For whatever reason they say this, the result is the same. Unforgivingness gets so wedged into their heart that the root of bitterness infects the different areas of their life.

A bitter person is the very opposite to a gracious persone. Or to approach it a bit differently, bitterness is the opposite of Jesus. In summary, if someone has offended you including yourself, then you have it within your power to forgive.

What does it mean not to be able to forgive? This common phrase 'not being able to forgive' means that we do not want to forgive rather than the implied 'we cannot forgive.' The bulk of the problem is having the offended humbly acknowledge this simple fact of their unforgiving heart.

It is a will problem. And though it seems like a radical statement, we must affirm that the problem in a real sense is not them but us. After all, God worked with the humble sinners rather than with the stubborn and prideful ones.

What happens when you do not forgive others? There are several consequences, which I have listed below. None of them are pleasant. Each brings the worse out of a situation...

An unforgiving spirit poisons ones own heart with bitterness. 'Can't forgive oneself ' implies a resistance to change and therefore makes reconciliation impossible. Without reconciliation, sour relationships will persist until death.

More than often, their hatred infects their descendants and they live bitter lives. Perhaps we should think of our will as a hate list. Great emotional pain and misery is associated with those who live bitter lives. This is partly due to no good friends. They cannot tolerate the bitter comments. Diseases follows this path of bitterness. Our bodies cannot handle this unforgiving heart.

A scary future. God will not forgive those who do not forgive others. Although they claim to be right, they in fact cause further wrong to be done because of their unforgiving heart. They can never bring proper revenge. All the joys in life meant to be theirs is dashed in some ashes of bitterness...

Now, let's pray...

O Father, give us the humility which realizes its ignorance, admits its mistakes, recognizes its need, welcomes advice, accepts rebuke. Help us always to praise rather than to criticize, to sympathize rather than to discourage, to build rather than to destroy, and to think of people at their best rather than at their worst. This we ask for in thy name's sake. Amen

Until next time...

Have a blessed week!

Bibi