Written by Mrs. Beverly Hyles in her book, "Woman, the Assembler"
Avoiding Bitterness
My husband gave me some principles that have helped him to avoid becoming a bitter man. If a person can have a valid reason for bitterness, I don’t know anyone who has more reason to be bitter than the man with whom I live. However, I can honestly say from the depth of my being that I believe he bears no ill feeling twoard anyone. These principles are the ones he follows to avoid bitterness.
1. When people are used to bring bitterness to you, look at them as what they are- people. We need to realize that people can be tools of Satan just as they can be used of God.
2. Live with the promise of Psalm 119:165. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Stay in the Word of God. If nothing offends us, it cannot lead to bitterness.
3. Realize that when Satan throws his darts, he is not trying to get you as much as he is trying to hurt all those to whom you can be a help. My husband, by no choosing of his own, has been a pastor to many people in this country for the last few years. Many people look to him. If he allows bitterness in his life, he can’t help those myriads of people who constantly need him. He feels that Satan’s arrows come to him so that all those who look to him will be destroyed.
You need to think that way, too. Remember, Naomi and Elimelech had two sons who married heathen daughters and died. Somebody else is always affected by your bitterness.
4. Realize that you are wounding yourself if you become bitter. The Bible dictionary says the word bitter means to cut. When you are bitter, you inflict more pain on yourself than on anyone else. Remember Matthew 5:11 and 12 which says, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad.” Realize that you ought to be thanking God that you are being persecuted.
5. Realize that becoming bitter makes you a partner with those who are trying to hurt you. Don’t fall into Satan’s trap.
6. Accept your trouble as an opportunity. The Bible gives us a command to love our enemies. You can’t obey that command if you never have an enemy! If God told us to love our enemies, then He is going to allow enemies to come into our lives-people who might cause us to have bitterness. The Bible also says to “endure hardness.” (II Timothy 2:3) When that Scripture instead of allowing them to cause bitterness.
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What is your name? Is it Mara?
