towards
Abundant Life
Day 11 -Better not Bitter
"But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you
may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
1 Peter 4:13
Better or bitter? The choice is yours! When suffering comes your way you are faced with a choice on how you will respond to it. The most tempting way to respond is bitterness and anger. I know I have been there! Bitterness tastes so sweet in the mouth of the one who has been hurt. However if Bitterness is left to take root in the heart it will ultimately have adverse effects on you and all of your relationships with others. Why? Because you can not contain it for that one person or situation that hurt you. Instead it's like a rampant infectious virus effecting every area of your life. Is it worth it?
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves
to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
1 Peter 4:19
Instead of holding onto and fostering bitterness I pray that you will go to God, giving it all to Him! He can handle it! Then every time you start to take it back I pray that instead you will once again give it to Him. I pray also, that when you find yourself rehearsing the pain you'd recite out loud (if possible) "I have forgiven _________ " (fill in the blank) and turn your thoughts toward praise and thanksgiving to God instead. I also pray that you will trust that God judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23-24 says:
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he
made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He
himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and
live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
Jesus, the one and only Savior and God, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords could have wiped everybody out when He was on the cross, but He didn't! Instead He chose to suffer and bear our sins in His body so that we may inherit eternal life. Jesus entrusted Himself to the One (God) who judges justly and we can do that too. I know it seems impossible and in the flesh it is. However we have the Holy Spirit living in us and He is more then able to help us when we ask Him.
" I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and
participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,"
Philippians 3:10
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to
suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness
of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by
fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Oh sisters, please hear me! You today are faced with a choice. Are you going to respond to your past, present, of future problems with bitterness? Or do you want to come through it better? Know that I am praying for you today!
"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have
suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
1 Peter 5:10
One last thought for today! Praise God trials sooner or later come to an end. If not here on earth then in heaven. Will you today say as I have: Today Lord, I choose to follow you and love you even if this trial doesn't' end until I get to heaven. Lord give me the strength to persevere!
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