Hypocrite! “Instead, call me Mara, [meaning bitter] for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. Note the things Naomi says in verses 19-21: “Things are far more bitter for me than for you, because the LORD himself has caused me to suffer.” And “. But what if you are bitter toward God? Thank You that You have chosen this time in my life to reveal it to me. Do you wonder if they could see the changes that had taken place inside her heart or on her face? Bittersweet definition is - something that is bittersweet; especially : pleasure accompanied by suffering or regret. The BCC exists to strengthen churches, para-church organizations, and educational institutions by promoting excellence and unity in biblical counseling as a means to accomplish compassionate outreach and effective discipleship. Bitterness is unresolved, unforgiven anger and resentment. Definition of to the bitter end in the Idioms Dictionary. It is also through the appreciation and acceptance of God’s love and forgiveness that we develop the capacity to forgive others, no matter what they have done to us. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT). Bitterness is unresolved, unforgiven anger and resentment. After all, we are emotional beings and it is normal to experience the full range of emotions, from love, joy, peace and laughter to disappointment, anger and sadness.
Forgiving others is not an option for the Christian; it’s required, and it is step number one in removing bitterness. For instance, we read in Proverbs 14:30 “A heart of peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 tells us that “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” and Proverbs 16:24 explains “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”. Take note, dear one, that if Naomi’s son would have lived, Ruth would have remained his wife. Our story then becomes our identity, leaving very little room for the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit to become proactively involved in enabling us to develop a sparkling new identity in Christ, and growing to our full spiritual potential. Does Jerry Seinfeld have Parkinson's disease? Notice Christ’s response during his dying moments on the cross: “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” There was not an ounce of self pity in Jesus’ attitude, just total selflessness and love to the core.
I have a wife and kids to feed, God; why are you doing this to me?”, The childless couple is bitter when they see families with several children and they cannot seem to have even one. Revenge is the broad path of destruction while forgiveness is a tough work of love that frees your spirit to become who you are meant to be in Christ. Forgiveness is not an act of weakness but one of courage and strength. We forgive out of our capacity of being forgiven...Jesus calls us to give what we have received – unbounded forgiveness.”, Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian, endured enormous pain and suffering at the notorious Ravensbruck camp during the Holocaust, including the loss of her father and beloved sister. Bitter people tend to have higher blood pressure and heart rate and are much more likely to die of heart disease and other illnesses. He stunned her with the following words: “You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk. It may even become addictive if we keep negative emotions alive by constantly thinking about the bad things that have happened to us in the past, or habitually retelling the story of what others have done to us.