Bitterness

Bitterness is something that can destroy our lives very quickly. The Bible gives a warning about bitterness in Hebrews 12:15, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled..."

The analogy of the root God uses here is a great one (all of God's analogy's are great ones). He describes bitterness as a root that springs up in our life. Bitterness starts on the inside. Like a seed in the ground, you can't see bitterness in its early stages. At first, it's possible nobody around you will be able to tell what's going on in your heart. However, that seed begins to grow and it breaks through the ground and everybody sees it.

When we think of bitterness, we almost always think of a time in our lives when someone hurt us. Bitterness is certainly a possibility when someone hurts us. I've heard Hebrews 12:5 quoted many times in a message when the preacher was warning us about the dangers of bitterness.

Just like any other powerful verse of Scripture, it's wise to take the verse in context. Like I said, bitterness can easily creep into our hearts when another person hurts us. However, that is not the context of Hebrews 12:5.

Notice these other verses in Hebrews 12...

Vs. 5, "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him..."

Vs. 11, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

The true context of Hebrews 12:5 is the chastening of the Lord. The author of Hebrews is warning us of the greatest kind of bitterness...bitterness towards God Himself. When we sin, God loves us enough to punish us. Hebrews 12:6, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Through His chastening in our lives, He is trying to show us the dangers of our sin and how badly He wants a close fellowship with us. Bitterness towards other people is obviously very dangerous. However, bitterness towards God is even more dangerous. When God chastens you, make sure you don't get bitter about whatever consequences you are facing. Remember that God is simply proving His love towards you with His actions.