Bitterness
Several years ago, after being in the ministry for just a short time, I had a foolish conflict with another pastor. The cause of this conflict is unimportant, but the result of this conflict would plague me for most of a year. Finally, God brought me to a place of seeing just how much damage I was doing to myself, both emotionally and spiritually. I praise the Lord that through His word, I was able to forsake the bitterness that had poisoned my soul.
This event caused me to look at bitterness in a new way than I had before. As we explore bitterness for the next few minutes I will use my own example of struggle to try and bring forth some spiritual truths that will help others caught in this battle to free themselves from the poison of bitterness.
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”
Hebrews 12:15
I grew up in church and in a good Christian home. Many times I have heard this verse alluded to and preached in one form or another. Yet I failed to make the connection given in this verse to the source of bitterness in our lives. As you look at this verse, you see the opening warning, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God;”
Considering this statement, it is without any reservation that I say that the grace of God has never failed, and will never fail. That is not the basis of this statement. The point of the statement is that you and I can fail of the grace of God. We can fail to possess an adequate amount of God’s grace to face the trials of life.
Please understand this does not have anything to do with salvation.
There are two aspects that we will perceive of the grace of God. First, His saving grace. God’s grace is able to save all those who call upon Him without fail, yes His grace was, is and forever will be able to forgive all sin. The other aspect of His grace that is significant is His grace for living. That is to say, the grace that He gives His children to live in this evil world. It is of that latter grace that we are in danger of falling short. James gives an indication of how this happens when he says in James 4:6, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
