Bitterness

I had to write about this because man it was a wake up call to what Bitterness can do in the life of believers.

Here's the meaning from the Webster dictionary: Having a sharp pungent smell or taste, not sweet; harsh, unpleasant, sullen, antipathy, antagonism, loathing, harshness-

Ever had any one of these feelings? I sure have. I didn't realize it at the time but I was full of bitterness. In my own situation it wasn't until I was willing to get honest with myself and realize that my bitterness towards someone else was really a reflection of what was really going on in my own heart. In James 1: 22-24 it talks about those of us ( most of us) who hear the Truth of God's word and yet we don't become doers of what we hear. James says we are " like a man who looks at his natural face in the mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was."

We dare not look long enough to see our own reflection and our own issues. But oh how easy it is to stare at another's life and pick them to pieces.

I do believe hurt is real. I believe that pain is real, too. Bitterness, however, is the result of simmering and stewing over the events that caused us hurt and pain. It is not accepting the situation and the issue but refuting it - Most of the time, at least in my own life, it is a direct result of not wanting to "own" any of the responsibility. It may also be that you/we are not willing to accept the wrong done to us or to accept that you or I may have had a part in the situation or problem. This is what James is talking about, when we are like the natural man who looks and sees himself for what he is and then walks away and forgetting what he saw - it doesn't cause change rather it is denial. This is when Bitterness begins to grow and take root in our lives.

We have all heard the saying "There are always two sides to every story". Well, I believe there are two sides to every hurt and pain. On the one side we may be the recipient on the other side we may have done either intentionally or unintentionally something to bring about the situation. How then do we work through the mess and bring clarity to the situation and hopefully restoration.

It requires us all to be willing to look at ourselves first and begin the painful duty of dealing with what we had to do with the situation. Matt. 18:15 sets a standard for us as believers how to deal with a wrong that is done or when sin is evident in the life of another brother. Going to them immediately- don't delay it only allows the enemy a strong hold and gives way to speculation and presumption.

Then it requires us to be reconciled one with another. Matt. 5: 23-24 "first be reconciled to your brother"
* How can we bring our sacrifice of praise, or our offering to the Lord if we are at odds with our brother*
This isn't always easy- but the first step is admitting a wrong and seeking forgiveness. Then you can be reconciled one with another.

The final word from Col. 3: 12-13 says: " Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you."

Forgiveness rids us of all bitterness. It is not just speaking the words of Forgiveness and then continuing to HATE or SHUN someone but when they come with a sincere heart of repentance and reconciliation it is our role as believers to do just as CHRIST has done for us.... Receive them back. Restore them....( It doesn't mean you give them full access to your heart again, or trust them implicitly but it does mean you begin to rebuild and establish unity- with God's love and His character implanted in us.. full restoration can happen!)

Why am I writing this you ask? Well, I have encountered all out bitterness like I've never seen before. I guess for me it was a wake up call to remember that I must work hard as a believer to not allow this poison to take root in my own life.

Seeing these individuals who are just full of bitterness made me all the more serious about being real first with GOD and then myself and then to those around me. Sometimes it means we get hurt but if we walk in the spirit we are promised that we will grow through even the difficult friendships.

2 Cor. 2:15-16 says " For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

My challenge today is to work hard at living life being Clothed with Christ's : compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and peace ( Col. 3:12) and then to seek in all situations the wisdom that comes from above: ( James 3:17) "Wisdom from heaven is first pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy."

This week I've really been thinking on Col 3:12 and James 3:17 and it is so cool how the Lord knits Life into learning examples for me to grow and mature through......

I've just been all the more challenged this week as I've seen and heard of these individuals being so full of bitterness that I can't help but just pray, Lord help me not to allow the root of bitterness in my life.

I hope if you are dealing with bitterness that you will root it out and look for restoration if it is at all possible for you to do so.

May we be a sweet aroma.....

Melissa

Reflections

On a day like just about every other day. We began getting ready for church. I was about to turn 20 and life was looking pretty calm for once. It was early and my parents needed to get to church because they headed up the singles department. Everyone filed in the class slowly and I was helping my parents out in the welcoming area. It was time to go in to class and there before me sat a blonde headed blue eyed guy who was definitely a fresh new face. :) I sat down and he said hello. :) Now this is where the story gets interesting. I remember coming in the room and sitting next to him. He remembers coming in the room and sitting next to me... :) Anyway, how ever it happened... we began Sunday school and ya want to know what I noticed first about this guy? Okay the blonde ( short) hair and blue eyes but that was just a ah moment. What first grabbed my attention was that this guy had good eye sight! :) lol .. that's how NOT looking I was! I had just come from a string of not so great guys and I was so ready to just let the LORD pick the next one out for me.......

Well, the story continues on and the next week he was back. This time he asked me out for lunch. It was a good day and we enjoyed each others company. So much so that he asked me to join him the following week for a flight party he had to attend. Did I mention he was in flight school at Ft. Rucker? I tried to get out of it but he was persistent. That night something happened and it was as if the Lord said, " This is Him".....

I know second date, 3rd meeting? How can that happen?........ When God spoke I was like, Nah..... I'm hearing things.. but I did hear and I did come home and shut the door and I remember thinking to myself, I could marry this guy? It seems like I told my parents but I'm not sure - if I actually spoke the words or if God and I were still having this conversation......

That night as he brought me home we began walking. Each night we closed our dates with a walk through some neighborhoods. In one yard there sat a swing facing the street and it was as if it was meant for us to sit in it and begin the journey of courting. I remember talking about tough things like raising Josh and life together. I remember thinking about what life would be like with a man who loved the Lord and who seemed so strong and well grounded in the things of God. What struck me straight away was this was the first guy I had dated who wasn't afraid to ask me the tough questions. He prodded me to dig in the word and seek truth. He prayed with me. He asked to hold my hand~! NO Kidding! I was so struck by his what seemed to be genuine care that I just couldn't help but pray and thank God for, if nothing else, allowing me to see that there were guys out there that were worth dating and that maybe just maybe I would be blessed with someone as amazing as Dwayne.....


Today, as I was washing the dishes in the kitchen I looked out the window and there sat our swing. It isn't the swing that started our long talks and journey with one another but it is precious none the less. I'm not sure if when Dwayne built this swing he was doing it in memory of the very swing we sat on and talked almost 20 years ago but Today, it reflected back to me the memories of our first walk and the journey God started us on as Husband and Wife.




I've looked at this swing for months now. Sat it in it and talked with Dwayne sitting next to me. Today- for whatever reason the Lord flooded my mind with thoughts about our beginning. It's amazing almost 20 years later, and some very difficult roads, some huge valley's and amazing mountain tops we are More in LOVE today than we were the day we married.

I am so BLESSED! Blessed beyond measure and while there have been times I've wondered what did I do :) as I know he too has said probably a few more times than I... :) God has seen us through those times and we are stronger and bound together in ways that I could have never imagined....

So Today I just wanted to reflect on how Blessed I am to have my Husband walk this journey of life with me....

Lord thank you

Evaluation

It's always good in life to stop and evaluate the things you are doing with your life to see if there should be any changes made.

This next week I plan on taking some time to evaluate what I'm doing and to see what if I need to make some changes to my daily grind. I have so enjoyed this blog but I've been so busy these past few months that I've not been devoting the time I need to posting. It takes time to prepare and to post each week. When I started this blog I wanted to it to be a useful tool in the lives of those who were seeking to dig deeper and to search deeper the Word of God. I guess I just need to make a decision to commit the time and resources to writing each day and week? Thus my decision to take some time to pray and seek the Lord for His further direction.


I'm going to be starting the Book of Ruth this week -

i do pray that the Lord continues to grow you and stretch you into the women He wants you to be!

blessings to you all,
Melissa

It's been WAY too long

Can you tell I've been a bit busy...


I hope to begin posting again in the next week..

look for more then...

bye for now....