Let go of bitterness - Part 2

"As I walked out the door towards the gate that will lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison." NELSON MANDELA


You must identify bitter feelings and put an end to it before it imprisons you and drives you into madness and a cycle of wrong doings. Nelson Mandela realised he was bitter and was full of hatred for the unjust way he had been treated. He had a good reason to be bitter, but realised that if he allowed himself to fall into the trap of anger, hatred and bitterness, he would be entering into a mental prison which will imprison many more people. In the end, his freedom from the physical prison would only be a fallacy. Many people get raped or abused, but never leave the dark hole they are placed in. They become bitter and become the cause of pain to many more people. Sometimes we have a genuine right to be angry, but if we do not suppress our anger and wave bye to it, our anger imprisons us and causes us to sin.


In 2 Samuel 2, we learn of Abner and Joab both commanders of different armies - King Saul's and King David's respectively, were engaged in a fierce battle. King David's army conquered King Saul's army, tempers were high that day. Joab had two other biological brothers : Abishai and Asahel. Abner killed Joab's brother Asahel in the heat of the battle. This did not go down well with Asahel's two brothers -Joab and Abishai, who pursued Abner with the intention of rendering justice and vengeance for their brother's death. In the course of their pursuit Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?”
Joab answered, “As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued pursuing them until morning.”
So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. 2 Samuel 2:26-28


There is a time for cease fire - a moment to realise that the anger in us must die. A brief period of deep thinking when we must hold out an olive branch and call truce. Anger and animosity cannot go on forever or it will defile and destroy many souls. Let go off jealousy and greed, of anger,hatred and bitterness. Free yourself from this mental prison. Call on God to help you, and He shall hasten to your call. You must walk to your freedom, and you cannot do so with a baggage of anger, hatred and bitterness. Bitterness is poison - do not drink it!
















WHAT IS NEXT?