The Bible's View on BitternessSample

The Consequences of Bitterness

I don’t know about you, but for me, mulling over any type of offense made against me is not worth losing the privilege of dwelling in God’s presence now or in the future –especially since we have open access to Him through Jesus.

In the book of Hebrews, the apostle Paul admonishes us to ensure “no one falls short of the grace of God” to prevent a bitter root from “sprouting up, causing trouble and defiling many.”

Clearly, bitterness not only destroys relationships, but it also contaminates the heart, which is arguably the most important organ since it ensures the rest of the body’s faculties function properly. On a spiritual level, the heart is also the core of a person’s make-up that influences what they think and how they act.

The word defile can be defined as the “act of destroying the purity or appearance of a person or object.” The term is also used to describe the desecration of something sacred. This is why harboring hatred and malevolence (which are always stored in the heart) always causes trouble.

Quite often, someone who is consumed with bitter indignation may be tempted to gossip or spread slander about the one who they felt has wronged them. In a group setting or even among close family members, one-sided rumors can spread like deadly cancer and destroy reputations or relationships.

On the other hand, if the wronged individual chooses to suppress their resentment and animosity, all of the harsh emotions they are internalizing will eventually attack their own body and make them sick –both spiritually and physiologically.

In the end, both the bitter and offending parties are defiled.