Sweet water and bitter?

When I hear the same message from different preachers within the course of a week, I know God is trying to tell me something, so I had better pay attention! Because I do not want to keep the beautiful wealth of God to myself, I want to share with you what God has been speaking to me. I can say with all honesty, I have been humbled and I can see the Fruits of the Holy Spirit finally beginning to change me (Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24).  I have felt more peace and joy this past week than I have in many years.  I respect that God chooses to correct me so I can change and bring glory to His wonderful name (For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. Hebrews 12:6).

James chapter 3 is full of wisdom and power.  I will later share a blog my husband wrote about verses 1-12, but I want to focus on just verses 8-14 today (posted at the end of this writing). These verses in James show us how hypocritical it is to say you love God but cannot get over hateful feelings of another person. How can you praise God with beautiful songs but then five minutes later speak demeaning words about someone else. That is exactly like eating a luscious dessert and immediately swallowing a cup full of bile!   

One of the sermons my husband and I watched that struck me to the core was from the late holiness preacher, David Wilkerson.  He mentioned that when we live in bitterness and refuse to let go of the pains of our past, we are actively living in rebellion to God.  I want to take his theme and expand on it a bit.  

First, it broke my heart to think of rebelling against a holy God full of love, mercy, and grace.  I really searched my heart and soul as I listened to Pastor Wilkerson's message as well as several other messages by other preachers last week.  I began to repent and release all the anger and bitterness toward all the people that had hurt me in the past and more recently.  As well as realizing I had bitterness over circumstances that had caused me deep sorrow.  I prayed similar prayers before on several occasions, of course, but the bitter roots always seem to find their way back in my heart. They are sneaky and you do not always realize they are there again until you notice that your heart feels harder, and you become angry quicker. It truly is a daily choice to let go of anger and hurt and to pray for all those that have hurt you. (And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Luke 9:23)  

Another message we watched this week, Pastor Tim Dilena said that he and his wife have a specific list where they pray blessings over those who they struggle feeling bitter. (Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. Luke 6:28) I might say a quick prayer for people, but to take a little more time to pray for blessings really helps my heart and soul. It is difficult to feel hateful toward someone you are actively praying over before a Holy God!

I said I wanted to expand on Pastor Wilkerson's message. 1 John 2:9-11 very clearly states, "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes."  Very profound! We don't literally hate everyone we feel anger towards, of course, but as I stated above, bitter roots have a cunning way of growing and taking over your heart.  The roots can even get so large they choke out your prayers and love for God.  Satan is clever that way; he knows you will get so distracted in your hard feelings that you cannot find the time or desire to praise God.

My message today is simple, we cannot say we love God and hold on to grudges and anger.  It truly does not matter what someone has done to you.  God will judge (God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. 2 Timothy 4:1), you just need to focus on you and obeying God by forgiving all, yes all who have wounded you and/or your loved ones (But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:15). That does not mean you are excusing the sin they have done, but you are being obedient to God and allowing your heart to heal and move on. 

Being angry is not a sin, Ephesians 4:26 says, " Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath."  In other words, God does not expect us to never be hurt or angry, but we are not to keep dwelling on the offense, but let God soften our heart as we forgive.

Once again, bitterness can center on a circumstance. Feeling angry about something that happened such as an accident, illness, loss of income, death of a loved one, etc.  In that case, you are most likely feeling resentful toward God!  When I realized this, I began to weep and begged God to forgive me for holding on to situations that still made my blood boil and heart scream in grief.  God is so good, He will always forgive us when we repent. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  Notice we must first confess. Psalm 103:11-12 promises, "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us." Amen and hallelujah!  

I have discovered that letting go of bitterness begins with the little things as soon as they start, the moment I start to feel irritated, I pray and ask the Holy Spirit not to let the anger or hurt grow but immediately pray for the person or situation. 

I will end it with the words of Jesus' brother, James, as he says it so perfectly.  Please pray over them and let them sink in.  Repent of your sinful pride and hateful feelings, and ask the Holy Spirit to heal you from the inside out!  

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? ...so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. James 3:8-14