For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. — Acts 8:23
There are many things in life that I like to eat. I love chocolate, for one. I’m not a fan of the cheapest chocolate around. I often find myself loving darker chocolate than most people. Regular chocolate that is often found in normal candy bars is far too sweet for me. The dark chocolate is a nice balance, even though most people find it a little more bitter.
But I don’t like things bitter either. For example, I love a warm cup of coffee in the morning. But I find plain coffee way too bitter. But thankfully, I learned that adding a bit of salt to the coffee can help offset the bitterness that you taste. So in nearly every cup, I put in a dash of salt until the bitterness goes away.
But what about in our lives? There are times in life when we may become bitter. It can be manifest in a few different ways and caused by many different things. But when it happens, it is very difficult to take care of and eliminate from our lives.
In Ephesians, Paul warns of many things that should not be present in our lives. One of those was bitterness. He goes on to say that we should put it away, being loving, kind, and forgiving in the way that Christ was to us. If anyone had a reason to be bitter in this life, it was probably Jesus. Yet, He chose to love and die for all.
Is there bitterness in your life today? Is there something that keeps you from forgiving and loving those around you? Perhaps it prevents you from saying or doing things that share the love of Christ with others. If so, today is a great day to get rid of bitterness in your life. Because you will never be able to reach your full potential for God, if you are living a life filled with bitterness.
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