Play

PROGRAM D-6906

I’m suggesting that you might need a new name.  There were several times in the Bible where God changed someone’s name.  The most familiar name changes are:

  • Abram became Abraham
  • Sarai became Sarah
  • Jacob became Israel
  • Simon became Peter
  • Saul became Paul

God had a purpose for changing their names.  It wasn’t that he just didn’t like the name they chose; names held a great deal of significance in that culture, and God changed their names because God was changing them.  God was giving them new purpose and meaning in life.  God was bringing them from one place in life to the place he wanted them to be.  God was changing their name to signify that they had been on the wrong road, and now they were going to be on the narrow road—God’s road—that leads to life.

I wonder if God wants to change your name.  For example:

  • Is your name Bitter

If so, I can assure you that God wants to change it.

In Hebrews 12:15 we read:  “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Bitter roots grow in our hearts when we’ve been wronged, when our dreams are not coming true, when we’ve suffered some kind of loss, when our circumstances are difficult—it doesn’t take much for bitterness to take root in your heart.  And as this verse from Hebrews tells us, when left unchecked, bitterness always grows. You cannot hold onto one little bitter twig, because it won’t stay little.  It always grows.

Any then, anytime you allow any little bitterness to take root in your heart, count on it causing you a great deal of trouble, as sure as night follows day. It will cause physical troubles—actually make you sick.  It will make you ugly—truly make you look sour and unattractive.  Bitterness causes emotional and mental trouble, too. It starts to take over your mind and your thoughts, and you can easily become obsessed and out of touch with reality because of bitterness.

Funny thing is, when we’re bitter, it affects all of our relationships, not just the one we are bitter against. As parents we can transfer that bitter spirit to our children; as managers and employees we can transfer it to our co-workers.  It is a poison that affects everyone it touches.

Have you stored up so much hurt and anger that it has turned into bitterness?  When your name is bitter, you miss the grace of God. God wants to give you a new name.  He wants you to be called Joyful, filled with the joy of your salvation and free from the pain of bitterness.