Today, my personal Bible study and person reflection is on bitterness.
Unchecked bitterness takes root like dandelions in a field of grass.
It takes awhile to acknowledge the spirit of bitterness and the sin it brings with it – unforgiveness.
Bitterness takes over my eagerness to be in God’s presence, chips away at my faith, clouds my purpose and dilutes my praise.
How do I get back to your presence Lord?
I must ask for forgiveness from you. I must forgive my enemies and I must ask you to forgive my enemies.
How do I do it?
I must forgive like you forgive me – with love, grace, mercy, kindness, gentleness, patience, long suffering and I must do it OVER AND OVER..
The Holy Spirit revealed that I must not focus on the flesh, but focus on the lesson.
So I cannot focus on the flesh – the person, my enemy, they are only a tool, a vessel, a temporary vapor dictating a circumstance, a situation, a point in time.
And I should not focus on my hurt, disappointment, how I feel, my loss, my desire for justice, my unmet expectations.
No, I should focus on the lesson that is unfolding in front of me, what the Holy Spirit is teaching me. I have to focus on maintaining a righteous heart.
Bitterness cannot take hold by itself. It needs my assistance. The lesson is recognize that I am weak, I have sinned and that I must forgive. If I choose not to forgive, then I am no better than my enemies and of no use to God.
He said trust Him and I will.
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