Are you bitter?

Personally, I find myself bitter often, but with me trying my best to be the ½ full (not ½ empty) kind of guy, I have searched a long time for ways to get over my bitterness.
 

If you have a job that requires you to be the ‘nice guy’ all day long, or whether you are just a nice guy (or gal) all day long, then you know that it can feel like you're wearing a sign on your back that says kick me. No, the sign doesn’t say kick me, it typically says KICK ME HARDER.

I used to let bitterness consume me. In the past, I would let this bitterness come out of me (LIKE A TIME BOMB). Sometimes the bitterness would appear on my face as depression. Many of us know that bitterness can take its toll, to the point of causing built up anger, depression, loneliness, hostility, a hard heart…

For me, even though I am a ½ full type of guy, I feel often that others around me suck the water right out of my glass and spit it in my face.

Even working in God’s ministry, often times our efforts seem to go unnoticed, and if they are noticed, then why is it we feel unappreciated?

Well, what I have discovered is this – you don’t have to wait for Heaven to hear well done, and you don’t have to live with bitterness, depression, fear… If you serve the needy, elderly... they are usually thankful...

I know all about the tough storms we face: Child abuse, fake love, being used and abused, Cancer, bone loss, hair loss, weight loss (we wish), deformities, being crippled, depression, addiction, visible scars, jalopy cars, sick kids, kid’s funerals, motherless families, daddies leaving, failing in school, hidden talents, sleepless nights, feeling worthless, being told you are worthless, stupid, ugly, unloved, under paid, under appreciated, slavery, small, confined, yelled at, hit, wrecks, aches, pains, Arthritis, kidney failure, clogged arteries, chest pain, loneliness, fear, divorce, back stabbing, evil speaking, liars, laziness, thieves, taxes, ice, rain, storms………

We can all relate to more than a few of the problems we face listed above that can and will make you BITTER! And I'm afraid the list is much worse than the listed above.

I love watching little kids, because life’s circumstances hasn’t BEATEN the joy and energy out of them (well most of them) YET.

When I hear about a kid placed on medicine for being HYPER, it makes my skin crawl with BITTERNESS!!! So they are HYPER, so WHAT!!! Maybe they weren’t made to be placed in a classroom, maybe they were made to pick up the slack for all of the laziness in this world. If we want to teach these kids how to read, then why don’t we keep up with their pace, not slow them down to ours???  And why do we send used and abused kids back to ABUSIVE and NEGLECTFUL parents, after we have already removed the hurt child from the situation???

Do you hear the bitterness?  Yes, I too, although JOYFUL and TRIUPHANT can carry BITTERNESS!!!

So what do we do about it?

I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, but I was broken and found myself put back together by God and God alone!!!  I can fill my cup right back up by reading from God’s Word (yes, red words and Psalms specifically). For so many years, I tried to fill my cup back up by others, drugs, money... You guessed it, that didn't work!!!

Before I jump in with both feet (with my preaching), I want to say this. We place abused children back with abusive parents… because there is a list of ‘Foster’ & Unwanted kids…so long that it reaches around the Earth.

You may be asking yourself how I would be able to give you sound advice on BITTERNESS, when I still seem BITTER myself. Well, since you asked, I will tell you.

The only chance I have (and you as well) in having my glass ½ full, is if I turn all of my problems over to God. Seriously, I can only find strength in God and God alone!!!

You can tell yourself, all you want, things like: If I could only quit smoking, eating, drinking, gossiping, lying, sitting, abusing… then my life would be better…but that doesn't solve all of your problems! I just quit a 28+ year smoking habit (yes, I am so thankful to God for the deliverance and freedom and I want to shout it from my belly off of the mountain tops), but that doesn’t solve all of my problems. I still wear the label convicted felon, I still have Asma, bitterness, memories, angry thoughts, depression, fear… this is why I have to turn to God for help each and every day!!!  This is why I want and need God's advice from His Word every day!!!...

I NEED God’s help, peace, joy, mercies, grace, forgiveness, faith, hope… I NEED HIM EVERY DAY – JUST TO MAKE IT THROUGH ANOTHER DAY!!!

The title of this inspiration is ‘Big Bob’. Bob stands for Being Overly Bitter. Being bitter can be quite productive if you use it to produce good things like: a new law preventing child abuse, a relationship with Jesus, understanding that we not only have things to be bitter about, but we also have many blessings – if we just take time to count them (the BLESSINGS)!!!

I get over my bitterness 'quicker' these days, because I take time to count my blessings. I have also realized that Satan uses bitterness to his advantage, to not only destroy your life but the many lives around you!!!  You may want to re-read that last sentence.

Being Bob, or ‘overly’ bitter can and will destroy your life. You may start your walk with God with a soft, tender, loving… heart for God and others… but after many years of bitterness… this soft heart gets harder, and harder, and harder… to the point that I am scared for you… because God judges the heart… are you hearing me?

Lay Bob at Jesus’ feet.  Lay ALL of your burdens and worries at Jesus’ feet.  Cry out to God for the help you need to kick Bob out of your life, before your heart turns cold, dark, hard…

Big Bob = (Boasting In God)  (Being Overly Bitter). If you don’t know what Boasting in God means, then read the inspiration titled ‘Be Big Be Happy’.

If you want to know what you have on your side to deal with bitterness, then read the inspiration titled ‘Bitter Sweet’. It discusses the life of Job (from the Book Job in the Bible). If you feel like Job sometimes, then I encourage you to read ‘Bitter Sweet’.

Hopefully, the next song will help.

God Bless!

In His Hands,

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Love, Glen

Don't get too busy to count your blessings, take time for God, and thank Him. God has always held you together. The Earth is spinning 1,000+ mph one way, then moving around the Sun in 24 hours (67,000+ mph) another way, and we are at a 23 degree tilt to sustain life. Stars are bigger than the Earth and fall often (not into us). This is not a coincidence, and we do have hours worth of blessings to count. If you already count your blessings, then carry your candle (lit by Jesus) into the darkness.
 

Thank You Jesus!  Praise You God!  For always being there to give me the strength I need to make it through another day!!!  You are an AWESOME God, and I LOVE YOU!!!

There are 2 videos below. Once you view the first video, click on the second video underneath to see if you can say the tongue twister Betty Botter.