Conquer the Mountain of Bitterness

Another late start to writing here on read.cash. We don't have to look far to see there is considerable bitterness in this world. In fact, you can rarely scroll through your #Facebook feed once and not see someone posting something bitter. It's true even here on read.cash.

Usually it is a female posting a nasty screed about a relationship gone sour or tapping out a message about revenge. Some people are so utterly bitter that they type things they really don't mean and later regret it.

Mountaintops

I've climbed the Mt. Pinatubo volcano with some friends. The guides warn people not to shout or speak too loudly because it may cause a landslide. Spontaneous fires break out everywhere, so if you get off the beaten path you have to be careful.

If you have never had a chance to tour the area, it's a great opportunity to see some fantastic scenery. The ascent will test your will. Many turn back when the going gets too tough. I guess it took us three hours to reach the top and see the image above. We cracked a beer we had each brought with us to celebrate. I took a few sips and passed it to a friend.

The last leg to reach the top is somewhat treacherous and extremely steep. A smoker friend of mine barely made it. He was hacking like he'd just inhaled some bitter sulphur.

The water is bitter, too. You cannot swim, as it is forbidden. We saw a couple of people do it anyway.

Bitterness of the soul

Humans are a lot like bitter water. They seem to not be able to let go from within, even though they are only hurting themselves and endangering others they come in contact with.

Somewhere over the course of their life someone (or maybe more than one person), they have been abused, accused or bruised. Unable to let go of the bitterness, their hearts are hardened all the more and their soul rots the body from within.

John Rice once said: "Unforgiveness is choosing to stay trapped in a jail cell of bitterness, serving time for someone else’s crime. When boiled down to its essence, unforgiveness is hatred."

That's powerful.

Conquering bitterness

Like the daunting trek up Mt. Pinatubo, we can choose to push on and let go of our bitterness or we can choose to give up and remain where we were in the valley of bitterness where spontaneous fires endanger us. We have to make the choice. We have to forgive and begin loving those who did us wrong.

I've been in this situation. When God prompted me to forgive someone who had done me very wrong financially and through infidelity, He gave me the strength to forgive. What a burden that was lifted from my heart!

God says

The Creator of all things has a lot to say about bitterness.

When we are able to forgive others for what they have done, a wellspring of a life of inner peace will erupt in one's heart.

Maybe you have not forgiven someone for the wrong that caused you to suffer. Perhaps you have been harboring the pain and causing the suffering to linger like the bitter taste of sulphur from a volcano in your heart.

I encourage yo to get on your knees and let God know you are hurting and very deeply so. Yes, He already knows, but He wants you to tell him. He is your Heavenly Father and wants to relieve you of your bitterness and fill your heart with His love, a love that will never hurt you.

Won't you let go today, even right now?