Hurt leads to bitterness, bitterness to anger, travel too far on that road and the way is lost. – Terry Brooks

Proverbs 4:23 Be careful how you think: your life is shaped by your thoughts.

You can choose bitter and life will be a disappointment. You can choose better and make life a joyful experience.

Hebrews 12:15 NLT Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

The root of bitterness is poison. How many times have you encountered someone who has hatred or unforgiveness towards others? You can see it on their countenance.

We are living in a time where this root seems to dig its way into people’s lives.

When we are not careful, it will creep into our own lives and affect every relationship that we are in.

When we go through life, we all have circumstances that lead us in our choices. Choices of forgiveness, walking in love, obedience, and peace. We could also choose unforgiveness, hatred, disobedience, and chaos. Your thoughts and decisions will move you in the direction that you think most about.

If we think of our thoughts as seeds, it will help us see what we plant. Every thought of our circumstances gets planted deep within. We can easily replay every situation and add to the growth of that seed. Eventually, it will take root. When it becomes rooted it will either be a root of bitterness, or a root of gratitude. You get to choose!

A root of bitterness will affect you and everyone around you. It will also affect your health. The body shows signs of bitterness manifesting in the way you live. Remember, bitterness is poison. Also, resentment is a self-inflicted wound.

“A critical tongue reveals a bitter heart.”

If you ever listen to someone who has unforgiveness in their life, you will hear bitterness. If the bitterness continues, it will affect people around them. It can also affect generations to come. You must be the first to eradicate that root!

How do we do that? We need to face reality. Instead of grumbling or complaining of our circumstances, God invites us to come to Him and verbally talk about the offenses in our lives in the safety of His presence. It is time to be completely honest about all the bitter events in our lives. It is then, that God can prepare us for a better way.

Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hatred feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.

What does better look like? It looks like healing, freedom, and a weight lifted. Imagine you are in a garden full of weeds and they are choking the good plants. As you pull each weed out, at its roots, the garden begins to look alive and healthy. Good plants have room to grow and flourish. The weeds are gone, in a pile, ready to rot.

Song of Songs 2:15 TPT You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationships. For they raid our budding vineyard of love to ruin what I’ve planted within you. Will you catch them and remove them for me? We will do it together.

Each one of us is running our own race but together we can finish it well. Is there someone who can help you remove those (foxes) thoughts? First, seek God. He is ready to hear you and show you a way to complete repentance and healing. Second, find a trusted source to help you remove the root of bitterness.

There is a better life waiting for you. A life of joy and freedom. “Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping someone else will die.” Forgiveness is the freedom meant for you to have a full, better life!

I, myself, have walked through many circumstances where I could have chosen bitterness. I get it. I choose to live a better life.

We will do it together!