Bitter Roots (recycled & updated)

I just realized that today is the first Friday of the month, so therefore it is also "Random Journal Day"...the day we peruse old journals/writings and share with you something from the past.  I honestly don't have time today to go digging in my old journals as I have company...but something has been on my mind this morning..."Forgiveness"....because some bitter roots started to come back up to the surface regarding a relationship that has had difficulties from day one...and even though I have offered forgiveness and have actually tried hard to maintain this friendship, it would seem as though that is a one sided feeling.  So I needed to re-read what I wrote about this and remind myself that forgiveness is a choice that I can choose to continue to live, or I can slip back into an unforgiving spirit and cause myself more sorrow.  I can't control what other people choose to do or how they try to cause division and hurt between my loved ones.  But I can choose to demonstrate Christ's love appropriately regardless of the outcome.  Lord, help me to do what You have taught us to do. Amen.


"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:
Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled...."  Hebrews 12:14-15

bit·ter  (btr)

adj. bit·ter·er, bit·ter·est

1. Having or being a taste that is sharp, acrid, and unpleasant.

2. Causing a sharply unpleasant, painful, or stinging sensation; harsh: enveloped in bitter cold; a bitter wind.

3. Difficult or distasteful to accept, admit, or bear: the bitter truth; bitter sorrow.

4. Proceeding from or exhibiting strong animosity: a bitter struggle; bitter foes.

5. Resulting from or expressive of severe grief, anguish, or disappointment: cried bitter tears.

6. Marked by resentment or cynicism: "He was already a bitter elderly man with a gray face" (John Dos Passos).

	1.	bitterness - a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

root ¹  (rt, rt)

n.

1. The usually underground portion of a plant that lacks buds, leaves, or nodes and serves as support, draws minerals and water from the surrounding soil, and sometimes stores food.

2. Any of various other underground plant parts, especially an underground stem such as a rhizome, corm, or tuber.

3. The embedded part of an organ or structure such as a hair, tooth, or nerve, that serves as a base or support.

In the physical, earthy sense, if you have ever worked in a garden or a yard, you know about ROOTS.  Those are the essential parts of a plant or a tree that feeds the plant and enables it to grow and flourish.  If the roots do not have any food, (water, nutrients) the plant will die.  It cannot develop and prosper without the roots providing food.

In the spiritual sense, the roots feed the heart and soul and mind of man.  In order for the spiritual man/woman to be healthy, the roots need to feed on good food...solid teaching, God's Word, love, forgiveness, kindness, gentleness...the "Fruit of the Spirit"

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law."  Galatians 5:22-23

However, when the heart and soul of a man/woman feeds on bitter roots, i.e.; anger, fear, anxiety, lies, unforgiveness, false teaching, hatred, jealousy, selfishness, idolatry, dissension, ~  the Spirit of that person cannot survive. 

"....Of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."   (Read Galatians 5:16-21)

When we allow such thoughts and feelings and unforgiveness to control our minds, we die a slow, painful death. That bitter root of resentment and anger takes control, causing not only our own heart, mind and soul to be severely injured and endangered, but according to Hebrews 12:15, any root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by this many become defiled.  We not only hurt ourselves, but all those around us.  Our pain and anger ferments and oozes out of our being with every word we speak and every movement we make. We become prisoners, bound within the vile chains of self-righteousness and hatred toward anyone and everyone who does not show us pity and align themselves with our "cause". 

What is the cure? How can we escape such painful self-destruction?

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.  And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU!" Ephesians 4:30-32

Can it be that simple?  Is it even possible? How can I let go of my feelings of hurt, humiliation, shame, anger, disappointment, self-righteousness, resentment, and allow myself to forgive?

"Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." Ephesians 5:1-2

Christ forgave me.  Christ forgave you.  Christ died for me.  Christ died for you. Christ suffered agony on the cross for me.  Christ suffered agony on the cross for you.  Christ didn't have to do that, but He did it anyway, willingly, lovingly, deliberately.  Why?  Because He loves me.  Because He loves you. Because He wants to spend eternity with you and me. That's why.  I don't deserve that. You don't deserve that. We deserve to die. But Christ came and saved us so we could have eternal life. 

He forgave me...and all He asks is that I forgive others just as He forgave me and gave His life for me. Is that too difficult for me? Is that too difficult for you? Forgiveness...freedom...eternity...This is something to think about.  This is something to do.  With God's help...it IS possible.
 
Please click on this link for a song that speaks to what I've been saying here.  Let this message settle into your heart today."Forgiveness" by Matthew West  Let it permeate the hidden places in your heart, soul and mind that are still harboring bitter roots of unforgiveness...and ask God to help you let it go.

Set the prisoner free...and "that prisoner is you"....

What About Forgiveness?

I almost threw away this little free magazine that came in the mail this past week.  It is entitled "Healthy Living Made Simple", and is published by SamsClub,  the May/June 2013 issue, if you'd like to check it out for yourself.

Before I dropped it into the recycling bin, I decided to skim through the pages to see what it was all about.  There is a picture of Colin Powell smiling at us from the front of the magazine, and he has an article about how he won the battle against prostate cancer. Interesting, but not what excited me today.

Then there were some good diet tips, and an article on how to "walk your way to stress relief".  Good stuff, but still not what got me.

Then I turned the page and saw Oprah Winfrey smiling out at me."What Oprah knows about forgiveness."   That got my attention.  Now, I am not a big Oprah fan, but before you walk away, let me say that I appreciate much of the good she has done through her program and influence...however, she kind of veered off the trail a few times and took a few people with her I fear, in the spiritual sense.  But putting that aside, this particular article is one of the good things she shared, and I found it extremely factual and even biblical. It's so good, in fact, I'd like to share the highlights of it with you:

 The title of the article was,

Quoting Oprah from this article:

"I always love Aha! moments," Oprah says.  "When somebody says something that made us look at life in a completely new way.  When I first heard that, I literally got goose bumps.  The message that came through so clearly and stayed with me is this: 'Forgive, so you can truly live.' Forgiveness is letting go, so the past does not hold you prisoner, does not hold you hostage." 

The article goes on to say:

"Forgiveness doesn't mean you condone the behavior or, in any way, make a wrong into a right.  It simply means that you give yourself permission to release from your past.  It's accepting that it has happened to you--not accepting that it was okay--but that it has happened.  It's not holding on, hoping, wishing that it could have been any other way." 

"If you haven't been able to forgive, then you're holding on to something.  The person who hurt you has moved on in their life, but you are stuck in the anger--you're stuck in the negativity.  It takes a lot of energy to hold a grudge and be angy at somebody.  The truth is if you're holding a grudge, that grudge is really holding you."

Oprah says, "We think unforgiveness protects us, but in fact it really doesn't--it poisons us.  It has everything to do with you and nothing to do with the other person.  Unforgiveness blocks you from taking the risk of love."  "One of my favorite quotes is 'Unforgivenss unchecked becomes a cancer of the soul.'  What I know is that forgiveness is like medicine--medicine that can heal your pain.  It can bring you peace.  Forgiveness is something that you do for yourself.  Forgiveness means that what someone did no longer is going to affect how you live in the present moment.  When I got that, it took me to the next level of being a better person."

 What does the Bible teach us about forgiveness?


"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do NOT forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."  Matthew 6:14-15

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do."  Colossians 3:12-13

"Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?'  Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.'"
Matthew 18:21-22

This is just a random sampling of the many passages in scripture regarding the subject of forgiveness. Actually, the whole Bible is a story of forgiveness...if you think about it...

So why is it such a difficult thing for us to do?  Why do we hang on to our bitterness, hatred, anger, and unforgiving spirit, when we have been forgiven of so much ourselves?  Good question. I know from personal experience that when I harbored unforgiveness in my heart toward someone, it kept me bound in fear, anger and huge resentment.  I could not love, I could not care, I could not grow.  My spiritual growth was stunted, and I was evolving into someone ugly and mean spirited.  When I allowed myself to forgive and move on with my life, when I was actually able to tell the other person that I forgave them, I was set free.  Whether or not they accepted my forgiveness was not my problem.  That was theirs to grapple with.  Of course, we always like to have the happy endings, where everyone forgives and forgets and loves like nothing ever happened.  That seldom happens...but if we can forgive and let go of the bitterness and resentment, we can love again...only much wiser and stronger. And who knows but that our act of forgiveness might even open the door for the other person to grow and change too? It just might...but even if it doesn't, forgive anyway and move on to brighter days.

Some good things to think about today, don't you think? Do you have someone in your life that you need to forgive? What do you have to lose? You may actually gain a new perspective on living...and a brighter, healthier life, both physically, spiritually and mentally.  Sounds like a good plan to me.
The Song "Forgiveness" by Matthew West  -- check out this link for a great song about what we've been talking about.   Great story behind this song too.

For More discussion on this topic, hop over to the next post, entitled: Forgiveness, Part II.  That should pretty well cover the subject I hope! If not, please forgive me! :)