Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

BITTERNESS A divorce lawyer once said, "There is nothing as cold as cold love." His statement is contradictory, for real love can never be cold. What he meant is nothing hardens the heart more than love which has turned to bitterness. God specifically commands that we not become bitter. Paul adds: Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice (Ephesians 4:31). Bitterness freezes our souls. Marriage will make us either better or bitter. Which we become depends a great deal on our attitudes. The Bible says: Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them (Colossians 3:19). Because we come from different backgrounds and have different views of life, we may easily drift into bitterness by allowing misunderstandings to drive us apart. This must not happen. Our homes are not to be centers of conflict but sanctuaries from the hassles of life. So sometimes the wisest thing to do is retreat. Both husband and wife must be willing to give in. The Bible says: Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled (Hebrews 12:14-15). Whole families are often poisoned because they are disobedient to this commandment of our Lord.