Free Yourself

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.  Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)

There are so many ways a person can become bitter.  There are so many different scenarios in which we have experienced hurt, pain and abuse causing bitterness to appear in our lives.  If we allow that bitterness to take root and grow, it will grow uncontrollably.  There is no such thing as compartmentalizing bitterness.  When we fail to forgive those who have hurt us – we spread that hurt around and “defile many”.  We hurt others even when we don’t mean to.  Bitterness becomes our prison, and our actions, attitudes, and behaviors become rooted in bitterness.

Even if we have good reasons to harbor bitterness, the writer of Hebrews lets us know that we can be freed through the grace of God.  We need not stay imprisoned.  We can free ourselves through forgiveness, by showing grace.  God doesn’t live in bitterness.  He lives in grace.  And He expects us to do the same.  A few years ago, I realized that I was a prisoner to bitterness, holding on to something that happened over 30 years ago.  When I decided to show grace and forgive – I was freed.

Today, if you are facing a decision to stay a prisoner to bitterness or to free yourself through showing grace to the person who has hurt you – free yourself and forgive.