Discontent, Dander, Anger, or Bitterness can Damage your Effectiveness
Our bitterness gets us spiritually and emotionally sidetracked
In Treasures from Luke, vol. 4 Rod Mattoon writes the following. I find it very helpful. I have to fight bitterness. Satan wants me to live in bitterness. Satan does not want me to forgive, love, and help but destroy, main, and kill. I am to be marked by love. I am to control my tongue and never to slander or try to do harm to my brother. Let's grow in this area of our lives. Get victory over bitterness. The forgiven forgive. The loved love. Let's live out who we are in Christ.
When we are angry or bitter, we have difficulty focusing on what God wants for us. Instead, our focus is shifted upon the person we are angry with in our heart. We become consumed with hate, and our bitterness poisons our spirit and the lives of others. Our bitterness gets us spiritually and emotionally sidetracked and we begin to lose our effectiveness for the Lord.
If we vent our anger and bitterness upon others, we create resentment, and lose our ability to lead them, teach them, and love them. They can’t hear what we are saying because our actions are screaming at them. Others that observe our anger are also turned off by our behavior, even though our anger is not vented upon them. They take up an offense for other people who they feel have been wronged by us.
* 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;
Our bitterness affects not only us, but others are stained or sullied by it. This is the idea behind the word “defiled.” Is bitterness causing you to lose your savor? Many times, when a person is filled with rage, it comes out of his mouth. His words tend to be like poison. If we claim to be believers, but can’t control our mouth, we lose our savor and effectiveness. Our “religion” is good for nothing. This is what James told us in his epistle.
* James 1:26—If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.
See also
