If you have ever come across the concept of a root of bitterness in the Bible, you probably ignored it. It is in the letter to the Hebrews, in chapter 12. If you paid any attention, you probably thought it was a mistake. How can a holy book like the Bible have anything to do with such an evil thought?
For those of us who took the time to meditate on it, we might have concluded it was not possible that a root of bitterness should spring up amongst us. Why, we are people of virtue, and Paul did admonish us to keep our minds on pure, true, noble, and just thoughts. There is simply no room for a root of bitterness to spring up when your mind is fixed on praiseworthy thoughts. You therefore conclude it must be a mistake and move on to more comforting thoughts.
If you are a preacher, you ensure you avoid it like the plague. A root of bitterness? How are you going to spin that into a sermon? Better leave it alone, forgetting that every word is there for our instruction and correction. Moreover, it is precisely in those stony places that God seems to hide the best of His promises. It appears He reserves His best for the believer who is diligent enough to dig deep in the Bible.
The Source of Divorce
Even when your church members are going through marital problems, you still avoid referring to the root of bitterness. The couple does not have enough training to understand that their desire to separate resulted from a root of bitterness springing up between them. Why else would two people who pledged love forever suddenly discover they cannot stand each other?
God says He hates divorce the same way He hates the root of bitterness. Here is how the verse under consideration puts it. “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” It goes on to compare the root of bitterness to Esau’s desire for his birthright after he sold it.
You may remember that Esau was bitter enough to plan the murder of his brother. From that, you can conclude that the root of bitterness is an extremely evil place to live. Little wonder some people (both men and women) kill their spouses from time to time. From its very name, you know that a root of bitterness can produce nothing but fruits of bitterness.
We shall come to strategies to prevent a root of bitterness from springing up in our lives and relationships. But, for us as believers, there is a portion of the verse on which we need to focus. Our verse says in part, “lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.”
The Root Of Bitterness In The Church
Ouch! Many in the church may not even realize that they are defiled. Hopefully, this post will make it clear and also cause many of us to seek and offer forgiveness. There are many ways a church leader can offend a church member or minister. I heard of a lady once who was angry because her pastor did not allow her to sing the solo in church one day.
According to our verse, she was defiled by that root of bitterness. Now, consider yourself as a minister. Your leader did not promote you. Root of bitterness. Defilement. The last time you brought a disagreement to your pastor, he or she did not rule in your favor. Anger. Root of bitterness, Defilement. Sadly, a defiled minister cannot have the Holy Spirit, which means they minister in the flesh.
Little wonder, then, that many churches are struggling. And it all stems from a failure to identify that a root of bitterness is operating in their meetings. The Apostle Paul could have become angry and bitter when the Holy Spirit took him from his position in the temple. He spirited the man to the Desert of Arabia for three full years. If that were to be any one of us in pastoral positions in the church, we would instantly develop a root of bitterness.
All ministrations from that point on would, of course, fall flat because defilement and the Holy Spirit cannot dwell together. It would be like what a friend of mine said. “When anointing departs, all you have left is anger.” Anger in praying, in preaching, in worship, and every act of ministry, attempting, like Samson, to regain the anointing.
How To Avoid Defilement
And all because we do not make the connection between the root of bitterness and defilement. Is somebody in your church offending you or has offended you? Instantly forgive them, if not for their sakes, for your own. It is so that you can recover your anointing. Paul says it so well. “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
If more of us ministers could develop such an attitude, our church would soon become too small for those who attend. It is an attitude King David had, who said in Psalm 84.10, that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God…” Are you a lover of positions? You will easily develop a root of bitterness. But now that you know it leads to defilement and a loss of anointing, you have a job to do.
Forgive (from your heart, as Jesus said) all who have offended you. Are we saying that that is easy? Not in the least. But it is easier than trying to find a lost anointing or ministering in the flesh. Forgive yourself for not studying your Bible enough. You could have made the connection between anger, the root of bitterness, and defilement sooner. Finally, start studying the Bible because your life depends on the truth in it. It shall set you free from bitterness and loss of anointing.
Maranatha!
