Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
Proverbs 4:23 NLT
There are many different kinds of negative or traumatic situations and their consequences that we confront in life that can affect us in many different ways. In the medical and psychological fields, how difficult situations can affect us is commonly identified by two acronyms, PTS and PTSD. “Doctors make a distinction between the two conditions. “Post-traumatic Stress (PTS) describes a general set of symptoms a person may suffer after enduring an intensely stressful situation like war”, (an auto accident or being terminated from your job). “The person suffers PTS for about 3-6 months. Then, symptoms may lessen. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an official diagnosis with more severe and prolonged symptoms.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 NLT
8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith.
Do we know what the Bible teaches us about how negative, unjust or traumatic situations and their consequences can emotionally and spiritually affect the believer in Christ? De we know what the Bible teaches us about how God uses negative or traumatic situations and their consequences to mature the born-again believer in Christ? Do we realize how the enemy of our souls tries to spiritually debilitate and defeat Christians using what the Bible describes as “trials”, “troubles, tribulations” and “sufferings”?
Reading the following verses, we can see how God uses negative or traumatic situations and their consequences to spiritually mature us in many different ways.
- Romans 5:3-4 NIV, “3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
- 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV, “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.”
- James 1:2-5 NIV, “2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
- 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold…”
No trial or period of suffering is pleasant at the time when we are experiencing them, but as the previous four verses clearly teach us, the follower of Christ needs to recognize something much more than only the unpleasantness of the situation and it’s consequences. We need to recognize God’s presence, purpose and providence in our lives while we are experiencing these “trials”, “troubles” and “sufferings”. (Providence – The wisdom, care, control and guidance provided by God)
In Genesis chapters 37, 39 to 50 is the story the life of Joseph. Please take the time to read in your bible about the purpose of God in his life, keeping in mind how he was misunderstood and ridiculed by his brothers and how it took Joseph about 13 years to begin to experience God’s purpose for the various unjust situations and it’s consequences he had experienced.
If anyone who could have been emotionally wounded, unforgiving and embittered because of the unjust situation and it’s consequences they had experienced and continued to be in, it was Joseph. “For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.” Genesis 40:15
Of all that Joseph experienced at the hands of his brothers, why was he not emotionally wounded, unforgiving and embittered against his brothers and or most importantly against God who Joseph could have easily blamed for allowing him to experience 13 years of hardship and imprisonment?
The author of Hebrews in 12:15 says something very significant concerning our hearts, that every child of God needs to know, especially when experiencing “trials”, “troubles” and “sufferings”. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many”.
What are the causes of a heart that has a “bitter root” growing in it? What are the symptoms and the consequences of a heart with a “bitter root” growing in it?
Before we answer these important questions, we need to understand what bitterness is.
BITTERNESS – An intense expression exhibiting extreme animosity. Acts 8:23 “For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” This verse describes bitterness which fills a person’s soul which is a spiritual poisoning of the soul.
The Fire Bible study says the following. Hebrews 12:15. “A “bitter root” refers to an attitude of deep-seated resentment in one’s heart that continues to grow and has consequences for others. Here it may refer to an attitude of bitter resentment toward God’s discipline instead of humble submission to his plans for our lives. Bitterness can also be directed toward other people in the church. If not dealt with, a bitter root can spread within a church congregation and corrupt an entire community of believers”.
One of the characteristics of bitterness that Hebrews 12:15 refers to is that it has a root. That means for bitterness to be removed in the heart of a person you cannot just remove what is above ground or what is seen. Which means you cannot be healed from bitterness by only dealing or giving attention to it’s symptoms. Bitterness must be removed from the heart by its root, which requires a deep removal and cleansing of the soul by the Holy Spirit. Because bitterness has a root, it also means it will continue to grow in the soul of a person like a plant if not dealt with.
What are some of the possible causes of bitterness in the heart or soul of a Christian? One of the main causes for bitterness in a Christian is unforgiveness. Other possible causes are, disappointment, being a victim of unjust acts, not knowing how to agree to disagree, and many more.
Bitterness in a Christian feeds pride and robs humility. Bitterness is arrogant and likes to make itself known to others. It is defiant and self-centered. Bitterness, if left untreated in a Christian, causes them to become spiritually calloused to the voice of God and blinded to the enemy’s dominance of their heart or soul. As a result, they fail to understand or discern God’s will and purpose in a given situation and or in their own life.
In spite of the unjust, undeserved and harsh situations that Joseph experienced, he did not allow bitterness to poison his soul. He did not allow bitterness to take root in his heart because of unforgiveness, he was able to acknowledge, respect and submit to God’s purpose for his life in spite of the harsh situation and circumstances he had experienced and was experiencing. Joseph did not forget God and because of this, others recognized that God was with Joseph and were blessed because God’s presence was with Joseph.
Genesis 39:2-6
2 The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6 So he left in Joseph’s care everything he had; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
When Potiphar’s wife repeatedly approached him saying, “Come to bed with me!” Joseph was able to freely answer because his heart was not bitter and calloused as a result of experiencing the unjust treatment of his brothers, nor did he blame God. As a result of an uncontaminated heart, he was able to respond to her, “How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” Genesis 39:9.
We cannot expect God to be with us and bless us if we have the root of bitterness influencing us. Joseph did not allow bitterness to take root in his heart even after unjustly being put into prison and as a result in Genesis 39:20-23, God continued to bless him. “But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.”
Joseph obviously acknowledged his unjust circumstances and wanted to be freed, “Genesis 40:14-15, 14 But when all goes well with you, remember me and show me kindness; mention me to Pharaoh and get me out of this prison. 15 For I was forcibly carried off from the land of the Hebrews, and even here I have done nothing to deserve being put in a dungeon.” Nevertheless, he continued not to allow bitterness to take root in his heart.
There many more examples of how Joseph acknowledged and honored God, Genesis 40:8; 41:16,25,28,37,50-52; 42:18. However, the most notable example that Joseph did not have the root of bitterness influencing his emotions or words is during the second encounter with his brothers. He clearly was able to understand and accept God’s will, purpose and providence in his life in spite of all the unjust hardships he experienced. Genesis 45:4-9, 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt.
Pastor John
