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PROGRAM D-8278
I’m identifying eight signs of bitter roots, pointing out what happens when we harbor resentment and unforgiveness. In Ephesians 4 we read, “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). Note that the Apostle Paul states this as a command—and one that requires action on our part. We are to get rid of bitterness. I’m praying that as I identify some of the signs of bitter roots, God will help you identify any of them in your life so that you also can get rid of them.
The opposite of forgiveness is bitterness. If you harbor unforgiveness, you will become bitter—there’s no way to avoid it. But when you’re willing to forgive, as Jesus told us to, you can pull up the bitter roots in the garden of your heart. So, here’s another sign—number five—of a bitter root:
Do you struggle to accept advice?
Does this surprise you? How does struggling to accept advice connect to bitterness?
Well, if you find advice or constructive criticism frightening, that likely connects to some pain or hurt in your past when you received unsolicited and non-constructive advice or criticism. In order to protect yourself from future hurts, you may simply reject advice offered to you, even if it could be helpful. When you consistently resist advice, it likely comes from a fear that it will hurt you as it did in the past, which in turn indicates there’s some resentment or anger there that you haven’t yet dealt with.
Another sign of a bitter root starting to grow in your heart is this:
Have you been captured by that old green-eyed monster, jealousy?
It’s easy to become resentful toward a person who has offended you, especially if they seem to have it easy and are being blessed. Jealousy could indicate that resentment has started to make a home in your heart—you feel cheated and you see yourself as a victim of injustice.
In writing to the church in Galatia, Paul classified jealousy as one of the acts of the flesh, alongside things like sexual immorality, witchcraft, and fits of rage. Jealousy is no small thing with God, and often it is a sign that resentfulness has given a fertile growing ground to jealousy. Resentment leads to jealousy and, inevitably, the next stop is bitterness. Do you have any jealous bitter roots in your heart? If so, ask God to show you how to pull that bitter root up before it grows larger and becomes a major stumbling block in your life.
