Bitterness Leads to Resentment - Day 82

Bitterness Leads to Resentment
Day 82

Other families around you are still together -- happy and oblivious to your brokenness and pain. Why me and not you? you might be wondering. Your wondering can turn into bitterness and resentment.

Dr. Robert Jeffress says, "There can almost be a resentment on the part of Christians against other Christians who may not be going through grief. 'Why aren't they experiencing what I'm experiencing? Why is God picking on me?'"

Many problems can arise from the improper handling of your emotions during grief. You can't avoid having the emotions, but how you respond to them will determine whether you proceed in a healthy manner or are doomed to unnecessary detours on your grief journey. Ultimately, unless you deal with the issues behind your emotions, your life may be moved toward bitterness and resentment.

"I loathe my own life: I will give full vent to my complaint; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul," Job complained at first.

But then he changed his focus and persevered in faith and trust: "I know that Thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of Thine can be thwarted ... Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes" (Job10:1, 42:2, 6 NASB).

Turn to God, who knows the bitterness in your heart and wants to replace it with His loving comfort.

Lord of all, forgive my bitterness and resentment and fill me instead with love, peace, and truest that only You can provide. Amen.

~ I can see where bitterness can lead to resentment. It is a lesson that I have learned from experience. It really is a matter of acknowledging and letting it go. I know I've said "Give it to God" more than once, but it really does take work and trust to do it. I can't say that I am fully over a lot of my bitterness, because I had two losses and two different situations. I am having to work through my feelings for both of them independently because I seem to be reliving the same emotions over and over since I haven't dealt with all the feelings/emotions that I have towards each death.