Bitterness will kill you. The reason for the bitterness need not be a traumatic event. An accumulation of small disappointments over time can leave a person bitter and ruin their life. What can a person do to avoid becoming bitter?
First, they can say “Thank you.” They don’t need to wait for a blessing before they respond in gratitude. They don’t need to evaluate each day to see if it meets their standards. Just start with “Thank you.” Make it a habit.
Second, they can help somebody. When we turn bitter, our instinct is to turn inward. We feel we have done enough and want to avoid people. Ignore the feeling. Just help somebody.
Third, they can look for grace. In the Letter to the Hebrews, it says, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God.” You can’t be bitter and believe in the grace of God at the same time. Here is the true motivation for evangelism. The purpose of evangelism is to keep people from becoming bitter. The purpose of evangelism is to help people receive the abundant life that Jesus promised.
In our sermon this Sunday we will talk about the poison of bitterness.