Poisoned By Bitterness

I remember talking with an elderly person one time. The reason I still remember this conversation is because of the lesson I learned from it. It had nothing to do with their wisdom or insight, but the sad fruit that they were blind to. This elderly person had been involved in a falling out with a close friend years before. In fact it was over 25 years earlier. The sad reality is that this person had allowed the bitterness and offense from this relationship to govern a huge part of their life. And unfortunately, I'm sure this person went to the grave still bitter and offended. It's so tragic when people cannot move on past being bitter and offended. I understand that things do happen to all of us, some of which cannot be controlled. I myself am no different than anyone in this area. However, our response is the key. We all have the choice to forgive and live in freedom, or to not forgive and be bound up with chains of bitterness. As I tried reasoning with this elderly person about what they were choosing to do, the sad reality was obvious. This person was totally willing to live with the pain and torment of being bitter towards someone because of offenses. Peter strongly speaks to the sorcerer in Acts 8:23 saying, "For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."When you're bitter and offended, just like in this verse, it's visible to all. People can see you're bitter and that something isn't right. Are you willing to go to your grave bitter and offended? We have a choice today to experience freedom through forgiveness, and to no longer be bound by the poison of bitterness. Don't be bitter any longer :)