Monday Devotional...2/6/12

ME, BITTER??  OH PLEASE!!!

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger,

brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Ephesians 4:30-32

Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,

 but rather expose them.

Ephesians 5:11

Big Sigh!!!

I had a great word placed on my heart a week ago to share with you all. I went to science camp with my two children and it was amazing. I was up in the mountains and was just amazed by God’s beautiful creation. The word He placed on my heart at science camp was about seeing Him during the dark moments in our lives.

We went on a night hike and we had to do what was called a solo walk. We were guided to a certain point in our walk, and the guide would stop us and say, “Ok, now you walk the path by yourself until you see the light.” I thought, “WOW, here’s the topic for my devotional." God reminded me through out my solo walk that He was with me the entire time. I was excited to get home and write my devotional.

Well my friends, was I wrong. I went to visit a friend of mine this past weekend and we started to have a deep conversation about life. She shared with me that she heard an amazing service on bitterness. Her pastor was talking about how deep bitterness can be and how, when we become bitter, we miss the grace of God. Moving forward in our faith requires for us to release all bitterness. Many of us are stuck in bitterness and we don’t realize it. We live everyday and do not realize the bitterness that is brewing in us. We become desensitized to it.

How many times do we say, me bitter?? Oh please!! We say, I’m not bitter, I’m just mad, or I’m just hurt! Lets ask ourselves, with whom or what circumstance are we bitter towards? How do we grow in Christ when we are bitter?? I have to say that I'm listening to the service my friend told me about. I have to confess, God is shedding some light on my heart. Yes, there is some bitterness brewing in my heart. I don’t know how this devotion can encourage you, but I pray it makes  you examine your heart.

Our goal is to be like Christ; we need to empty out all of our junk so He can fill us up with Him. How can Christ live in us if we also have bitterness being a resident in us?? We tend to have expectations of people in our lives, and, when they let us down, bitterness comes in. We tend to allow for the enemy to whisper in our ear of how we were let down, and, sooner then we know it, we get angry, we feel rage. We see the person who did us wrong through bitter eyes. We need to stop entertaining the enemy. We must come to a place of surrender. Give it to God, and tell the enemy that enough is enough!! Don’t let bitterness take over your heart and don’t let bitterness hinder your walk with God!

Be blessed!!

Written by

LIZ CHAVEZ