We can no longer harbor it [unforgiveness and hurt] for later use against the other person. We must surrender the wound or injustice that may have become a cherished, if bitter, possession. Letting go of this vengeful possession, we lose a painful advantage we have been savoring, but we regain the personal energy that has been dissipated as we nourished this hurt.
Bitterness
Gordon Dalbey
The Risen Christ proclaimed not that we ‘have to forgive,’ but rather, that at last we CAN forgive–and thereby free ourselves from consuming bitterness and the offender from our binding condemnation. This process requires genuine human anger and grief, plus–and here is the awful cost of such freedom–a humble willingness to see the offender as God sees that person, in all his or her terrible brokenness and need for God’s saving power. I would never tell another, ‘You have to forgive.’ But my uncomfortable duty as a Christian is to confess the truth, so lethal to our self centred human nature: ‘Jesus, who suffered your sin unto his own death, calls you likewise to forgive, so that God’s purposes may be accomplished in both you and your offender.
Albert Haase
It takes a lot of emotional and psychological energy to keep a wound open, to keep a grudge alive. The longer I allow a wound to fester, the more bitterness, anger and self-pity poison my blood and eat at my heart.
Tiffany Langford
Today, you can make the choice. You can choose to dwell in the hurt and bitterness, or you can cry until there isn’t a drop left in you, then get up, wash your face, and move forward with a clear heart and a clean slate.
There is nothing in this world worth losing the future God has for you. Let go of the past and embrace what is to come.
Timothy Keller
When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When such a thing is threatened, your anger is absolute. Your anger is actually the way the idol keeps you in its service, in its chains. Therefore if you find that, despite all the efforts to forgive, your anger and bitterness cannot subside, you may need to look deeper and ask, ‘What am I defending? What is so important that I cannot live without?’ It may be that, until some inordinate desire is identified and confronted, you will not be able to master your anger.
Billy Graham
We must be careful… that our anger is not a cover for lovelessness or self-righteousness. Anger and bitterness (as well as hatred, jealousy, and resentment) aren’t identical, but they are closely related. Bitterness is anger gone sour, an attitude of deep discontent that poisons our souls and destroys our peace.
Lysa TerKeurst
Remember, forgiveness is you deciding that you’ve suffered enough because of what happened. Forgiveness starts to sever the suffering, but then we still have to go on a long journey of healing. For a while, you may still have tears that come and go. That’s okay. Freedom from unforgiveness doesn’t mean instant healing for all the emotions involved. But it does mean those emotions will turn into eventual compassion rather than bitterness. Don’t give up in the process. Deep emotions come to us in a rush but don’t leave at the same pace. It will take time. But healing can happen. Keep trusting God.
Bill Yount
Praying for your enemies keeps them from getting inside of you, so you don’t become like them.
Ray Johnston
Avoid these five toxic hope killers that can threaten your future:
1. Bitterness and resentment
2. Worry and anxiety
3. Looking back and comparing
4. Guilt
5. Past failures.
Jason Vallotton
Regardless of why you have made bitterness and hatred your best friends, if you carry them around long enough, they will eventually eat you from the inside out.