“When my soul was embittered,
when I was pricked in heart,
I was brutish and ignorant;
I was like a beast toward you.
Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.”
– Psalm 73:21-23
Sometimes our ongoing frustration with the visible injustices of the world can make us bitter. Our own experiences of pain and suffering can make our hearts bitter toward people, the world, and the Lord. When awful people seem to thrive while good, kind, humble people are abused and crushed by them, our righteous outrage can gradually turn into unrighteous bitterness. That’s a bad place to be.
Bitterness is a poison that only hurts the person who drinks it. And yet, bitterness happens. It happened to the psalmist. Perhaps it’s happened to you. The psalmist was eventually blessed with a deeper understanding. In seeking God, he finally caught a glimpse of God’s eternal perspective. He came to realize that ultimate justice isn’t about what happens in a few short years on earth but in what God does for eternity. The wicked WILL be punished for their sins FOREVER! The people of God WILL dwell in God’s comfort and presence FOREVER!
There’s no need to become embittered by the evils of the world or our lives, because God’s good and just will is going to be accomplished for His glory. His very nature guarantees it – He is perfectly just, all knowing, and all powerful. With that glimpse of God’s eternal justice, the psalmist was embarrassed to realize that his bitterness had made him like an animal. Bitterness poisons our relationship with God as we respond reflexively out of our pain, scars, and wounds. Bitterness turns us against God as we doubt His goodness, awareness, kindness, and power. We miss out on the blessings of close companionship with God because we choose bitterness toward the world and toward Him.
Fortunately, God doesn’t reject us, even in our brutish attitude toward Him. God is gracious and never leaves or abandons us in our dark season. He is close at hand, fully aware of our pain and wanting to comfort us. When we’re finally ready to let go of the bitterness, trust His goodness and justice, and lean into His comfort rather than our self-absorbed anger and bitterness, He’s right there, as He always was. Learn from the psalmist – don’t hold on to bitterness. Embrace God and His grace to enjoy His comfort and blessing today while waiting for His eternal justice to unfold. #FollowJesus