A Life in Exile

The writer of Hebrews talks about the root of bitterness when he writes:

Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness—without it no one will see the Lord. Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many. (Hebrews 12:14-15 CSB)

What allows bitterness to take root and spring up? Poisoned soil. Without the alkaline of the Spirit and Word in our daily life, the soil of our hearts can be overrun with attitudes and feelings that turn us from what we know as truth. I wrote a chapter on bitterness in my latest book, When Serving Gets Tough. Think about where bitterness might be working on you.

Where does bitterness start? In our minds. We have a hard day, and a bad attitude takes root. Instead of turning to the Lord and his Word before we sleep, we crash and burn in exhaustion. What happens the next morning? We carry that attitude into the new day, letting it affect all we do and see and how we respond to new trials or struggles. Before we know it, our mind is poisoned with the hopelessness that Satan wants us to feel, and a bitterness for not having what we once knew rises up.

A bad day may be the poison in some lives, while illness may be the source in others.

Illness can be another crack in our spiritual armor that Satan uses to pierce us with bitterness. King Hezekiah was terrified and had turned bitter as a result of a debilitating illness (Isa 38:2-3). When illness hits us in service, we question God’s call and wonder why we surrendered in the first place. Like Hezekiah, we sometimes become bitter because we look at our sacrifice instead of what God might be trying to teach us through this trial.

Another great example of bitterness and how to overcome it is the prophet, Ezekiel. When God asked him to give a hard message to the people, he was not a happy camper. Wasn’t it their own fault they were living in exile in the first place? His reaction to God’s call left him bitter and angry (Ezekiel 3:10-15). He preferred to stay on the mountaintop with God and not have to deal with a rebellious group of people. Thankfully Ezekiel obeyed, despite his bitter attitude, and even though the way remained hard for him, we have through him the hope of the final words of his prophecy. He leaves the people with the dimensions of the City of God and the ultimate promise:

The perimeter of the city will be six miles, and the name of the city from that day on will be The Lord Is There. (Ezekiel 48:35, emphasis added)

We praise God for those mountaintop moments, for they are what carry us through the valleys. Don’t let the vine of bitterness ensnare you on the way down the road of service.

Change the pH level of the soil of your heart.

What can help you get through those bad days, times of illness or distress, and the daily realities of service? Making sure the soil of your heart is the proper pH level to stand against Satan’s attempts to allow bitterness to take root. What’s the greatest antidote against bitterness? Thanksgiving.

As you stay rooted in God’s Word and filled with the Spirit, he will remind you, even in the trials, of all the good things you have for which to give thanks. Did I have a bad day today? Yes, but I had such a good day yesterday, so I know this bad one is not the whole story. Am I sick today? Yes, but I know the Great Physician who brings healing, and I’m thankful he’s by my side. Am I struggling because no one is accepting Christ where I serve? Yes, but I’m thankful my only responsibility is to be found faithful in sowing seeds and doing good. I’ll choose to trust God for the harvest.

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Where is my focus when I’m growing bitter? On me. Where is my focus when I’m remembering to follow these words from our brother Paul? On God and others. Focus on this verse and you’ll soon find the soil of your heart is fertile for only blessing, not bitterness.

Grace and Peace

If you missed the last Mission Monday post, click HERE, or check out these other posts about bitterness and thankfulness: Leaving Well, It’s Not Fair!, The Bitter and Sweet, Weeding, The Power of a Thankful Heart, and Thankful for the Hard Places.