Job 16:1-3 Then Job replied: “I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you! Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?
‘Wormwood’, the bitter toxic herb, is a metaphor for bitterness and resentment in the Bible. Wormwood is the active component in the alcoholic drink absinthe. The U.S. government banned absinthe (green liquor) in 1912 because it believed it was hallucinogenic. Research has confirmed that wormwood crosses the blood–brain barrier and affects the nervous system. Both symbolically and literally, wormwood or bitterness in the soul causes hallucination or false perspective of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. The emotions and experience might seem real but it is not. Likewise, bitterness messes with every aspect of our life; it soils sight, and corrupts the ears and overcomplicates any issue.
Job’s soul was embittered by the loss of his children, business and health. The three friends who came to comfort him repeatedly hurled condemnations and accusations at him and wounded him. But the Lord did not allow the roots of wormwood to fester Job’s heart. He commanded him to pray for the same friends who blamed and shamed him. The LORD restored Job’s prosperity after he prayed for his friends (Job 42:10). Job was sitting on ashes and sackcloth scrubbing the boils on his body with broken pottery yet, even in such a miserable state he prayed for the accusing demeanors.
“Bitterness is internalized anger that festers; if not treated it will become bitterness”.
The therapy to resentment that overtime festers into bitterness is forgiveness. Pray for those who slander, smear and slur to tarnish your reputation and bless those who insult, irate and ill-treat you. The antidote to heal from bitterness is to pray and bless those who have harmed us. Blessing the slanderer opens the door for double portion blessings.
Antidote to Bitterness:
1. Sight: As wormwood extracts in absinthe, (the green liquor) causes hallucinations likewise bitterness blurs our sight and spiritual vision. Bitterness forms a dingy layer over our spiritual eyes and distorts our vision. It arouses anger, irritation and frustration on those who have harmed us. Bless those who hurt you and heal from blurred vision.
2. Sound: As the essence of wormwood in absinthe causes psychosis, bitterness causes spiritual madness. Bitterness will corrupt the spiritual ears and mess with the mind to misinterpret the scriptures and God’s nature. Put the noise cancelling earmuffs of praise to drive out the psychosis caused by bitterness.
3. Smell: Hallucination will cause people to smell, taste and touch something that wasn’t actually there. Like bugs crawling on the skin or body parts rattling within them. Similarly, bitterness will make us perceive and perspire imaginary pain. It will make people think that the whole world is against them and everybody is hurting, stealing and deceiving them. Forgiveness is the only medication to heal from the suffering caused by bitterness.
Bitterness like wormwood causes spiritual hallucination and psychosis.
Job 30:21 You turn on me ruthlessly; with the might of your hand you attack me.
Prayer: Father God, bless those who have hurt, insulted and defamed me. Forgive them for they know not what they have done. Amen.
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