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Topic: Bitterness in the Garden of our Hearts By Francis Frangipane
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kelly Tuller
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Joined: 02/17/2009
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Posts: 1092
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Posted: 01/12/2017 at 9:55am
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https://francisfrangipanemessages.blogspot.com/2017/01/bitte rness-in-garden-of-our-hearts.html
https://www.ihopkc.org/resources/asset/2016_12_30_1400_ONETH ING_MSG/auto/true/
Overcoming in the End Times by Benji Nuñez , 2 similar article , how to deal with offense and bitterness
Edited by kelly Tuller on 01/12/2017 at 10:00am
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Jeff Kingshott
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Joined: 04/09/2005 Location: United States
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Posts: 4253
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Posted: 01/16/2017 at 8:28am
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Bitterness in the Garden of
our Hearts
By Francis Frangipane
(En Español)
"See to it that no one comes
short of the grace of God;
that no root of bitterness
springing up causes trouble,
and by it many be defiled"
(Heb. 12:15).
It is impossible to pass
through this world without
being struck by injustice or
heartache. Unless we process
our struggles in Christ, a
single wounding of our soul
can create a deep bitterness
within us, poisoning our very
existence. In my forty-six
years of ministry, I have
known far too many Christians
who have perfected the art of
looking polite while living
inwardly with an angry,
cynical or resentful spirit.
They have swallowed the poison
of bitterness, and they are
dying spiritually because of
it. The problem is that, as
Christians, we know it is
wrong to react with open anger
toward people. However, rather
than truly forgiving and
surrendering that injustice to
God, we suppress our anger.
Anger is a result of perceived
injustice. Suppressed anger
always degrades into
bitterness, which is, in
reality, unfulfilled revenge.
Embittered People
A bitter soul is trapped in a
time warp; the person dwells
in the memory of their pain.
Several years ago I met a
woman who had suffered a
difficult divorce. I talked
with her every six months or
so for two years, and each
time we talked she said
exactly the same negative
things about her ex-husband.
Although she was divorced from
him, she was now married to a
bitter spirit that held her
captive to her heartache.
An embittered soul continually
blames others for their
situation. I’m thinking of
Naomi in the Book of Ruth.
Here was a person who blamed
her bitterness on God. She was
angry that He allowed hardship
and loss in her life. "The
Lord has brought me back
empty" (Ruth 1:21). In effect
she was saying, My sorrow is
God's fault.
Contrast her life with that of
Job's first encounter with
loss (Job 1). Job lost his
children and possessions, yet
he bowed and worshiped: "The
Lord gave and the Lord has
taken away. Blessed be the
name of the Lord" (Job 1:21).
How we handle sorrow reveals
the depth of our worship of
God. When life cuts us, do we
bleed bitterness or worship?
Job bowed and drew close to
God. Naomi withdrew and talked
about the Lord with her back
toward Him. I have dear
friends who lost their only
son when he was a teenager. In
the midst of their heartache,
they have become examples to
everyone of true worship. Over
the years, their pain actually
purified and deepened their
worship; their suffering made
them more compassionate toward
the suffering of others (See 2
Cor. 1:3-4). I also know
others who have suffered the
sudden loss of a loved one
and, within weeks, withdrew
from God and became
embittered. Adversity does not
perfect character; it reveals
character. It exposes what is
happening inside of us.
Poisoned
In ancient times mankind
experimented with vegetation,
seeking to learn which plants
were edible and which were
poisonous. In his search, he
discovered that, generally
speaking, if a plant or fruit
was sweet, it was usually safe
to eat; bitter plants, man
discovered, would either
sicken or kill. Likewise, the
bitter experiences of life, if
we ingest them into our
spirits, can become a
spiritual poison that destroys
our hopeful expectations and
attitudes. Such an experience
may enter your soul via a
relational wound or injustice;
it can begin through a major
disappointment or loss.
However, once bitterness
enters the human soul, like
ink spreading in a glass of
water, it can darken every
aspect of our existence.
Indeed, not only can
bitterness ruin our lives,
Hebrews warns that a root of
bitterness can "defile many"
(Heb. 12:15 NIV). A spiritual
root of bitterness is a
hidden, unresolved anger that
is buried beneath the surface
of our lives. Outwardly we
look "properly Christian,"
until we begin to discuss with
others the situation where
someone hurt us. As we speak,
that root "springs up" and it
defiles others. If you haven't
dealt with your bitterness,
beware when you speak to
others, lest you defile them
with your words. If you are
listening to an embittered
person, take heed that the
spirit of bitterness is not
being transferred to your life
as well!
God desires to rescue us from
bitterness so we can truly
love and laugh again. Let us,
therefore, sincerely approach
the throne of God's grace and
ask Him to show us the garden
of our hearts. Yes, and let us
see if our souls are truly
free of the root of
bitterness.
__________________ Trust the Holy Spirit to guide you in all truths !
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