I remembered as a growing child my mom will always advised us not to make friends with an angry person and don\’t stay around the person any moment he is angered because they are quick to exhibiting madness.
As a mother, I passed on the same message to my own children. Infact I went further to add that if you\’re in ally with someone who is easily angered when discussing or in any time of argument to make a point, will like to hit at anything around or may want to grab any weapon to hit at the surface. Please run away without attempting to pacify the person because it may be risky.
\”Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit for anger resides in the lap of fools\”. (Ecclesiastes 7:9)
What Does bitterness means.
Bitterness means anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly . It is synonymous with resentment and envy.
Longman Dictionary Of Contemporary English Define
BITTERNESS as
(1) Adjective: Feeling angry, Jealous, and Upset because you think you have been treated unfairly_ bitterly.
(2) Noun: Making you feel very unhappy and upset _ bitterly.
(3) A bitter argument, battle etc is one in which people oppose or critize each other with strong feeling of hate and anger.
Anger and bitterness are not identical but are closely related. Bitterness is anger gone sour . It is an attitude of deep discontent that poison the soul and destroys the peace of mind. While Anger is a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure or hostility. In this article I am going to use both words interchangeable.
The Bible says in Hebrew 12: 15. See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
There are people who you can\’t stand their anger, Virtually everything under the planet earth can fuel their bitterness and you ask yourself why this kind of life. Why exhibiting that kind of uncontrollable emotional hiccups. You wonder why did their heart becomes so bitter.
Yeah, I once witnessed a father abused his son grown up son verbally in an outburst manner that I tried meddling into the matter only to be told by the son that he was joking about what his father will always respond to whenever anyone complaint of not having enough in the house and people laughed though not as to make jest of the father or mockery rather to make light of such a joke that had been in the past.
His father did not take the slight joke lightly because his father has always been a man who is easily irritated in any given argument by others view he believes that his view must be accepted without questioning rather any contrary opinion will not be taking kindly and I just shove my shoulder after witnessing his father\’s reactions. Thanks God for my quick intervention.
\”Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with malice. And be you kind one to another, even as God for Christ \’s sake had forgiven you\”. (Ephesians 4:31-32).
What causes bitterness.
According to our Dictionary definition, is a feeling of anger, jealous and upset because you think you have been treated unfairly. Bitterness is generally caused by a feeling of anger or feeling of having been offended and instead of letting go it sticks in the person\’s mind like glue stick on a paper or a stamp on an envelope. As such it begins to bred ill-feeling and bitterness start to manifest.
Since the history of human race, anger also came into being . Uncontrolled bitterness is a devastating sin and no one can be exempted from it\’s bitter fruits. It destroys relationships, it causes abuse in families and discord amongst partners in business. It leads to violence within the community and in any gathering.
Genesis 4:3-8
Cain was the first man in the history of humanity that ever displayed uncontrolled bitterness against his brother Abel and he later suffered the consequences of killing.
3. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5. but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7. If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” 8. Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
How can we get rid of bitterness.
Then the Lord asked Cain \”Why are you angry? Why is your face so dark with rage ? It can be bright with joy if you will do what you should . But if you refuse to obey watch out. Sin is waiting to attack you. Longing to destroy you but you can conquer it\”. Genesis 4:6-7.
The Lord cautioned that you can do the right thing to avoid being tempted falling into the sin of anger so that you will overcome the pressure of being misguided by your feeling of being vindictive.
You must overcome and conquer your anger like some of the apostles did by properly channeling their anger to using it for Christ. For example Peter\’s anger was channeled into boldness in the preaching and converting souls for Christ. Paul\’s anger for Christians were later converted into burning passion to spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The bible commends us to be made new in the attitude of our minds and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:23-24).
Learn to think positively about those things you resent and appreciate them even if you don\’t feel good about it.
Stop talking bad about people and criticize constructively if you must criticize them and show love to others.
Learn to forgive others whenever you are offended and forgive yourself and let go.
Focus on your good qualities and know who you are in Christ Jesus.
Bless those who persecute you, bless always and do not curse.
Is there any justification for being angry.
Well! to be angry is a way of expressing emotional traits, that\’s why the Bible says
\”Be angry but do not sin, do not let the sun go down on your anger and do not make room for the devil\”. (Ephesians 4:26).
Yes! anger is good when it is caused by injustice like the anger the whole world both black and white communities had demostrated since last week for the gruesome murder of GEORGE FLOYD OF MINNEAPOLIS USA.
Mr Derek Chauvin a callous Bitter white US ex policeman who pinned his neck down to the ground maliciously without given him the chance to live despite his shout of \”I can\’t breathe\”.
This could have been avoided if not that Mr Derek and the other four ex police officers were not consumed by fire of bitterness due to the sin of racism.
God is angry with sinners and He is also angry when rightous ones are scorned.
When Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem, He forcefully drove out from the temple those who were callously making money off the people of God in the temple. (Matthew 21:12-13).
Like we see in our various churches today were people continuing in making money off their congregants.
At times our so called \”Rightous Indignation\” is little more than a cover for \”Self Aggrandizement\”.
We just must be very careful in life by manifesting bitterness because the fruit of bitterness is too bitter to taste if there is a turn around of event.
Thanks for Reading. Please shun bitterness and eschew anger.
✍️ Blessingonugha❤️