I was in the garden this morning when my father showed me a plant. It was a beautiful plant with red fruits. He said the fruits of this plant are poisonous.
It can be like us, we can look good on the outside but is filled with poison on the inside.
In his epistle to the Christians at Galatia, Apostle Paul urged them, “Do not be deceived: God can not be mocked. A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7, NIV). If I have poison in me, I will bear fruits that are poisonous. I will reap poisonous consequences. The poison in me will cost me my health, destroy my relationships with those around me and break my love relationship with God. The poison will get in the way of receiving God’s love and His healing grace.
Bitterness is the poison to the soul. Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is a good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (NIV). Bitterness will make us rot on the inside and then it will show on the outside. The medicine to bitterness? A joyful heart. We have joyful hearts by praising God and give thanks to Him.
Whenever I am unhappy with the circumstances I am in, when I am getting bitter or wallowing up in self-pity, I will bring this matter to God. I tell Him how I feel and pour out to Him my frustrations. He already knows what is in my heart and He is eager to hear about it from me.
The circumstances may not change, but if it is one that God allows me to be in, I will learn to give thanks. As Apostle Paul urged us to give thanks in all circumstances. He wrote, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Bitterness dries up my soul but a joyful heart is a medicine to my soul. May I encourage you to choose joy. There will always be something to be grateful for.
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