UPROOT THAT BITTERNESS

Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled. Hebrews 12:15

Think of bitterness as a poison - a concoction that we create for someone else but then end up drinking ourselves.

Our verse for today describes bitterness as a "root." Think about that. Where do you find roots? They grow underground, sitting beneath the surface and drawing nutrients from the ground around them.

Whenever you see a plant, flower, or tree, you can be sure that just below the peaceful and beautiful appearance is a twisted and gnarled root system sucking life from the soil and pushing it up through the plant's foundation.

Without the root, the vegetation would collapse and die. Can you see how this image parallels your spiritual life?

Perhaps you have a root of bitterness that is sitting just under the surface, practically invisible to anyone who walks by.

Does the fact that the bitter root is barely noticeable mean that it is harmless?

Absolutely not! Instead, you can be sure that the root is doing its job — sucking the life from you and using that to nourish weeds of hatred, impatience, or discontent.

A root of bitterness will never produce healthy fruit. When the seed, the soil, and the root are poor, it is senseless to expect anything other than bad fruit and a tangle of weeds.

How do we deal with bitterness? Simple - starve the roots of its nutrients. All it takes to kill a weed is to unearth and dispose of the root.

Pull the source of your resentment out of its hiding place. Bring it into the light; then, allow the Holy Spirit to heal your heart.

Prayer: Heal my heart O Lord, and take away all bitterness from me.

Scriptural Reading: Hebrews 12:12-17