UNPACK This... Rams Vs. PatriotsSample

Eliminating the Bitterness

As Tom Brady and Bill Belichick head to their ninth Super Bowl together, plenty of people hate the fact they’re in it again. These same people are rooting for the Rams just so they can cheer against the Patriots.

Year after year the Patriots figure out how to win, and land in the Super Bowl with Brady and Belichick. Non-Patriots fans most likely respect their greatness, but an underlying sense of bitterness is hard to deny. When the rest of us are waiting for our team to win just one Super Bowl, feelings of frustration, envy, and disappointment can’t help but creep in.

Sports bitterness is one thing, but the bitterness that affects everyday life is harmful. When we allow bitterness to build up to the point of holding a grudge, the person who hurt us and the situation that disappointed us keep on winning.

Eventually, the rooted bitterness ends up weighing us down and extending our pain. We continue to cling to our bitterness because we buy the lie that if we let it go, we’re saying the bad thing that happened is okay.

But Jesus invites us into a life of freedom. By acknowledging that bitterness is void of value and blessings, we can trust God to give us the strength to forgive and move forward.

Hebrews 12:14-15 (NLT) challenges us to “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

Our bitterness toward Tom Brady and Bill Belichick hasn’t slowed them down at all but has probably prevented us from the enjoyment of watching a team’s greatness. Today, as we consider how bitterness hurts us more than someone else, let’s decide to take steps to stop this poisonous root from growing any further.

As we freely move forward with forgiveness, we can start enjoying a peaceful and joy-filled life. I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray You would take away any bitterness I have toward people and situations, and even You. Help me remember how You forgive me, so I can show grace toward others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.