Bitterness

He stood in the midst of the rubble of a church. The only sign of life was a dead leaf limping through the mess, as if picked up by the hand of a giant and sent sweeping over the remains. The people who had once been here were long gone. And there in the middle of the church he saw a line where the church had been divided many years ago...

And then his eyes opened and he was there sitting in church. He looked up and heard the pastor drone on about forgiveness and the love of Christ. He'd heard it all before. As he looked around he saw the emptiness in people's eyes. They didn't care. Why was he even here? He hated half the people anyways. But his parents raised him to be a good Christian and go to church every week. Why did he still come?



Our hearts so easily are pulled this way or another. But the thing which separates hearts more than anything is the sin of bitterness. It's one of those sins that starts out so small. It's like building a wall. One brick at a time.

I'm surprised how easily just the small things can spark bitterness. Someone puts the plates in the wrong place for the 4th time. A friend knocks over your trophy and breaks it. And other etc stupid stuff.

Then, there are the big things. Someone tells you they hate you. A brother runs over your child. But does this give us reason to be bitter?

Why do we forget so often that God has forgiven us? Why is bitterness overwhelming our heart? Why can't we focus on God instead of all the tragedies that happen to us?

Take a moment today and ask yourself if you're bitter towards someone. Ask yourself why God has any mercy with you. Then look at the debt that God forgave you and finally turn and look at the debt that someone else owes you.