Leviticus 19:18 “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.”
Offence, grudge and bitterness open doors to the enemy. Resentment poisons the soul and corrupts our mind. Offense is a spirit that pollutes our mind with anger, rage, disunity and even violence. Bitterness kills the soul. “Bitterness is a result of clinging to negative experiences. It serves you no good and closes the door to your future.” – Leon Brown. Those who live in bitterness and offence leave a wide open door for the devil to trample their lives and shut the door of God’s grace.
Absalom the son of David hoarded bitterness against his brother Amnon for molesting his sister and also against his father King David for ignoring the incest. He hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar (2 Samuel 13:22). Hatred and anger that was fuming in his heart turned into bitterness and ended in a bloody murder. Absalom plotted a plan and killed his brother Amnon. Absalom’s anger did not quench as he was still angry at his dad. Hence he conspired against King David. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing (2 Samuel 15:12b). King David was driven into the wilderness by his own son Absalom however the grudge and bitterness in Absalom ultimately destroyed him. The handsome, young and gifted man died a pathetic death. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on (2 Samuel 18:9). David’s army killed him.
The Bible clearly teaches us to “Be angry and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26a). Fight for justice; don’t follow the instincts of revenge and hatred.
Shut the door of offence, bitterness and revenge:
1. Anger: Fostering anger turns into bitterness. Anger could be due to a valid cause yet, it does no good to the body or the soul. Unresolved anger is linked to health conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and heart disease.
2. Animosity: Bitterness pollutes the heart with enmity, hostility and hatred. Absalom was angry for the right reason, but his reaction was incorrect. He should have gone to the king for justice rather than taking justice into his own hands.
3. Antagonism: Resentment will turn into aggressive antagonism if it is not defused with love. Absalom’s anger turned into rivalry against his own Father. David loved and longed for his son Absalom. He mourned and wailed at the death of Absalom. Enmity did not win the battle; Love won in the end.
Forgive the in-law who hurt you years ago or a friend or family member who betrayed you. The enemy ravages the lives of those who foster bitterness and animosity.
Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
Prayer: Father God, if there is any anger, bitterness or resentment hidden in the crevices of my heart, help me to unearth and get rid of it. Amen.
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