Dealing with Bitterness

Bitterness is a truly terrible thing. Don’t hold onto it. It WILL destroy you.

 

 ²² Then Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for three days without finding any water. ²³ When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. So they called the place Marah (which means “bitter”). ²⁴ Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “What are we going to drink?” they demanded.

(Exodus 15:22-24)

 

In this story the nation of Israel, recently released from their captivity in Egypt through truly miraculous circumstances have walked three days and through the desert only to arrive at an oasis full of bitter water.  The bitterness is going to kill them even though they have escaped the clutches of their captivity. Isn’t that so like our own lives today? Bitterness is one of those things that can grab you, even if the circumstances you are angry or bitter about are over! Bitterness, it has been described, is being so angry with someone that you drink poison hoping it will make the other person sick. The Israelites were in this position. They were NEVER going back to Egypt and their captor, Pharaoh, has been destroyed. Yet now, it is not the circumstance of captivity that is going to bring them undone, but the bitter waters of Marah.

 

The Acholi people of Northern Uganda have a saying that crudely translates as this: If a snake bites you – you don’t chase the snake. It is not the snake that has the problem, it’s you. It is the same with anger, resentment, unforgiveness and bitterness, once this venom is in your system, you are not going to get rid of it by attacking the snake that bit you. You have to deal with the poison in your own system. If you continue to drink of the poisonous waters of bitterness you will die.

 

 ¹⁴ “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.

(Matt 6:14-15)

You see, if you do not forgive others. God will not forgive you!

 

Now I love the picture in this story of Moses. What was the answer that Moses has for the bitter water? He throws a piece of wood in the water and it becomes sweet. What a great picture! Has it clicked for you yet? What do you have to do with the bitterness in your life? You’ve got to throw a piece of wood into too. Still hasn’t clicked yet? What is that piece of wood? What is the most important piece of wood in the Bible? You there yet? I’m sure you have got it now! Yes, the Cross! Jesus told us we would have to take up our cross. The cross represents death – death to self. If you are holding onto bitterness, it means that you have not died to yourself. If you were dead, you would not be holding that grudge.

 

Go to the grave yard and scream and yell at all the people in the graves. Tell them how ugly and stinky they are and how out of date their clothes and hairstyles are. How many of them will take offence? You see, if we have died to ourselves and it is the spirit of Christ living in us, then bitterness and offence and unforgiveness will not be a problem.

 

So throw the piece of wood at your bitterness. Allow the Holy Spirit to break put to death your carnal nature and the unforgiveness you hold. Let the wood of a crucified life that is dead to self bring healing and sweetness to the waters of your life.