Grudge(Bitterness)

SeetoitthatnoonefallsshortofthegraceofGodandthatnobitterrootgrowsuptocausetroubleand

defilemany.Hebrews12:15

TheBasicBibleTruth

Bitternessisanuglything.Itcandestroymorethanjustthelifeoftheonecarryingitaround.Itstartssmall,andessentiallygrowsoutofthefactthatwefailtoforgiveothers.Thehurtbecomessomethingwegoback tooverandoveragain—needlessly. Inanutshell: Wehavebeen forgivenmuchbyGod. Weshouldforgiveothersinlikemanner.

TheObject

ALargeBoxOrCanisterBoundByChainsAndPadlocksYellowDangerorCautionTape

APairOfWeldingGlovesAMopHeadWithGooglyEyesAttached

Placethemopheadinthecanisterorbox,andthenchaineverythingdowntolookveryforebodinganddangerous. Place a few danger signs or stretch some caution tape, keeping people away from yourlocation.

TheLesson

Ladies andgentlemen, today I havewithmeoneof theworld’smostdangerous creatures. This thingreally scaresme. I’ve seen them from time to time in their natural habitat, but they tend to destroyeverythingtheytouch.Ikeepthisonelockedawaysothatitcan’tgetoutandhurtanybody.Theyalwayswanttobefedandthencarriedaround.Theyliketobeheld.Oh,howtheylovetobeheld.Anyonewhodecidestocarryonewillbeinforasorrowfultime.Misery,bitterness,andangerfollowseveryonewhoentertains the idea of keeping one of these. I highly recommend that if you obtain one, never, never,entertainthethoughtofkeepingit.Itwilldestroyyou.

YoumaybewonderingjustwhatisitthatIhaveinthiscontainer?Ifyouareallcarefulandquiet,Illgetthisoneoutandshowyoujustwhatthishideousthinglookslike. Remember, it isgoingtowanttobeheld.Donotholdit.Itwillwanttobecarried.Donotcarryit.Itwillwanttobefed.Donotfeedit.Iwillhavetoputtheseheavydutyglovesontotrytobringthisthingoutintotheopen.UnlockingallofthesepadlocksandremovingtheechainsshouldshowyouhowdangerousIbelievethiscreatureis.This ladiesandgentlemen is…agrudge. Haveyoueverseenagrudge? I’llbetyouhavemetsomeonewhohasone. Theyarenasty,aren’tthey. Thisonereallywantstobeheldandfedandcarried. LikeIwarnedyoubefore. Nevercarryagrudge. Never feedagrudge. Andneverholdagrudge. Theywillmakeyouangryandmiserable.Sometimeswefoolishlythinkthatwehavetheabilitytogetoneofthesegrudgesandkeepitaswemightapet. Wemightgo into thegarageandvisit itonce inagreatwhile,but invariably,ourvisitsbecomemore frequent. Soon it is allowed into the house, followed by sitting beside us in the Den and evensleepingonthefootofthebed. Agrudgeisneversatisfieduntilitisfrontandcenterinourlives. Andthereinliestherealproblem.Thereisonlyonewaytogetridofagrudge. ForgiveasJesusforgaveyou. IreadaphraseoncethatIthoughtwasan interestingwayof lookingat this ideaofholdingagrudge. Harboringagrudge is likedrinkingpoisonandwaitingfortheotherpersontodie.Grudgesleadtobitternessandbitternessrootsitselfdeeplyintoourlives.That deeply rooted bitternesswas addressed byMoses in Deuteronomy 29 to remind the children ofIsraelthatGodmustremaininfirstplaceintheirhearts.Toturnawayfromforgivinganother,oneofthebasicconceptsofourfaith,isasdangerousastheindividualwhoturnstheirbackonGodcompletelyandfollowsidols.But,dowefollowidols?Ezekieltalkedofidolsoftheheart. AnythingthatweallowintoourlivesthatremovesGodfromHisrightfullydeservedfirstplaceislikeputtingacraftedwoodorgoldidolonourmantleabovethefireplaceinourhome.Oneofthemostbasic, foundational,practicesthatwemust learntoobservealwaysistheideathatweMUSTforgiveothers,becausewehavebeenforgivenmuchbyGod.Forgivenessisalifesentence.WhatImeanbythatisthatwhenweforgive,wecannotunderanycircumstanceseveragainreachbackdownandpickupthathurtorbitternessand“unforgive”someone.Godforgaveusandremovedoursinsasfarastheeastisfromthewest.Wemustforgiveotherswiththesamecriteriainplace.Onevery simplepractice thatwecanput inplace toavoid the riskofbitterness taking root isprayer.Whenwepraysincerelyforsomeonewhomighthavewrongedus,itbecomesincreasinglymoredifficulttocarryagrudgeagainstthem.Wefindourselvesbeginningtoexpressourconcernandultimatelyourlovefortheminourprayers,andthatleadstoshowingandexpressinglovetothemoutwardlyaswell.JesusmadeapointoftellingHisdisciplesthattheyweretoforgive70times7.Hispointwasnotthatweforgive 490 times, but that our patience and forgivenesswith our fellowmanmust be extreme. HowmanytimeshasGodforgivenus?490timesmightgetmostofusthroughaboutayearandathird.ScripturetakenfromtheHolyBible,NEWINTERNATIONALVERSION®,NIV®Copyright©1973,1978,1984,2011byBiblica,Inc.®Usedbypermission.Allrightsreservedworldwide.