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From the Pastor:
I don't know about you, but it sure seems like we can't get away from continual news about presidential candidates in this election year. In newspapers and magazines, on the radio, internet, or television, we are bombarded with it on a daily basis.
Just a few weeks ago, Senator Obama, speaking to a group in San Francisco, made a statement related to voters in small communities who "cling to religion and guns because they are bitter" - supposedly over their economic conditions.
This story got picked up everywhere. We heard commentary on it over and over again. But beyond the context of his use of the word "bitter", I got to thinking about the whole issue of bitterness. Bitterness has consequences.
All of us have been told that we can either "be bitter or be better." The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:31, "Let all bitterness . . . be put away from you, along with all malice." In other words, it seems bitterness can be and often is hazardous to your health and spiritual well-being.
I have been struggling with me feelings toward my ex-daughter-in-law. She has basically made it impossible for Terry and I to see our grandsons over the last three or four years. She has taken out a lot of her anger at our son on us. I have quite honestly become very bitter, and it has taken root in my heart. I have negative thoughts about her all the time.
But I believe it is time to end this. I have carried this bitterness far too long. I wrote to her and sought her forgiveness for anything I might have said or done. I had hoped to start over and regroup, for the sake of our grandsons. Unfortunately, I have not heard from her. But, the key point here, however, is that I had no right to allow bitterness to take over my thoughts. Do you?
I have known people through the years who have been controlled by bitterness. Most of the time, that feeling of bitterness stems from being mistreated, disrespected or betrayed. If I let myself, I can easily be convinced that they have a right to their opinion. But reality tells me not only should they not entertain those feelings, but if they continue to do so, bitterness will define them.
Paul tells us in Colossians 3:13, "to bear with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgive each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
I know some of you who are reading this are paralyzed by bitterness. I pray that you would face your feelings, and do what you need to do. The load that is lifted is so liberating. One other thought: deal with it as soon as possible. Satan has a way of causing us to procrastinate.
Blessings,
Pastor Mauri
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