Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:00 — 4.1MB)
Are you tired of the burden of bitterness? Are you ready to weed out the bitter roots that have grown in the garden of your heart? Here are some very specific ideas that you can put into practice. But like all weeding, you have to do some hard work to make it happen. However, the beautiful blossoms that will then be able to grow in your life will be worth it all.
Hebrews 12:15 says that we are responsible for keeping those bitter roots from getting a stronghold in our lives. To get rid of those weeds, here’s my first suggestion: Write on a 3 x 5 card (or in your notes on your phone etc.) Psalm 40:2 and 3:
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Read it out loud every day before you leave home or early in your day. This will focus your mind on God’s grace and help you remember how blessed you are because of Jesus and what he did for you. This is a great weed killer.
Here’s another good idea. Practice Psalm 92:1-2:
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night…
In the morning sing a song about God’s love. Just make it part of your morning routine. Here are some suggestions: Jesus Loves Me, Thy Loving Kindness Is Better than Life, Think About His Love. Be sure you sing songs about God’s love for you, not so much about how you love him. You want to focus in the morning on how much he loves you.
Then before you go to bed at night, sing a song about God’s faithfulness. Great Is Thy Faithfulness is a good one and you can sing that while you’re getting ready for bed. Just do it every evening.
Following these two simple suggestions will help to keep you from missing the grace of God and those bitter roots will start to shrivel and die. You’re going to be full of God’s grace and a heart full of grace leaves no room for bitter roots. I promise you, it will work if you will in simple child-like faith see to it that you don’t miss the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause you trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:15).
Of course, then you’ll be happier and everyone around you will benefit too, because you’ll no longer be defiling them with your bitterness. I love the Word of God; it’s so practical. I hope you’ll get busy pulling out those bitter roots.