HELEN SANDERS
1-14-2026
BITTERNESS

When my children were little, I spoke a verse over them every day before they went to school. It came from Ephesians 4:32 which says, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” It was a reminder to forgive others and to do what was right.

The verse before it, Ephesians 4:31 gives more light. It says, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.” Bitterness is defined by Strong’s as poison. It literally is poison to your soul if you don’t repent of it.

We have all met that kind of person, you know the ones, they always have a chip on their shoulder. They dare people to knock it off. Yet, these very ones were not born that way. Something happened in their lives to change them. A hurt, a loss, a failed marriage, a failed business, or so many other things could have happened. When these trials came these people made the choice not to forgive. I have seen this happen with both Christians and non-Christians.

When we do not forgive, then eventually it grows into bitterness. It does not happen overnight. It starts with a seed just like everything else does. Yet, if not pulled out, it surrounds the heart until it becomes hard and squeezes all love out of it. I have seen so many in this state. You can counsel them, and some will see their error and repent, but many never do. The lines of bitterness are in their faces but are also in their hearts. Bitterness knows no boundaries.

If you find yourself in a state of not forgiving others that has turned into bitterness, I suggest you have a little talk with yourself. Is it worth it? Is it making your life any happier? Then confess it as sin and ask the Lord to give you a new fleshly heart that can forgive and love.