Overcoming Bitterness: Moving From Life’s Greatest Hurts to a Life Filled With JoySample

Day One: Bitterness Is Bigger Than We Think

As someone who has provided biblical counseling to people in the church and community for over thirty years, I’m used to seeing Scripture navigate our attention between the inner and outer person. As I researched this topic of bitterness, I was also surprised by the significant and powerful ways the Word of God discusses bitterness as a condition. In other words, it is not just a response, it is a reality.

This topic does not start with what you do. No one gets out of bed and decides, “Today I think I’ll start being bitter at no particular person for no particular reason.” Here is why that’s so important: God’s Word possesses a rich and robust theology of suffering to help us respond well to bitter circumstances. But if we simply run to verses like Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice”—and repeat it over and over, we will ignore great portions of Scripture that help us process pain and hurt and abuse and injustice well.

The purpose of our time is to help us overcome bitterness. We’ll look at three classifications of bitterness that form our framework. We will first learn to face the reality of bitterness. How can followers of Jesus Christ learn to suffer well so that our response to bitter circumstances takes us in directions that honor the Lord?

Then we will pivot to the sinful and personal responsibility side of the equation and find ways to avoid the pitfalls that lead to a bitter heart and life. In the final third of our time together, we will put our principles to the test by examining a delightful case study of a woman whose life was consumed with bitterness—to the point that she asked her friends to replace her given name with the word that described her best: bitter. The good news is, the story doesn’t end there. Not surprisingly, our Savior is visible in ways that will take your breath away.

Bitterness destroys people’s faith, health, family, and testimony. It is often the antithesis of spiritual growth and health. This is why the apostle Paul places bitterness alongside wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking in opposition to being kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving. (Ephesians 4:30-32). My hope is for us to discover how Scripture helps us to deal with bitterness thoroughly and completely and in a way that allows us to bask in the sweetness of our Savior.

What questions about bitterness do you hope to answer for yourself this week? Take a moment to write those down.