WHEN BITTERNESS KILLS
Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was as if one asked of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom. 2 Samuel 16:23
Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. Ahithophel became angry and bitter at David for what he had done in committing adultery with Bathsheba. Second Samuel 15-17 records his attempts to get back at David through Absalom’s rebellion. Bitterness is a frozen form of latent anger and resentment. Bitterness grows out of our refusal to let go when someone or something is taken from us. Bitterness is being constantly hurt by a memory and holding onto a hurt until it has a hold on you. Bitterness is characterized by an unforgiving spirit and generally negative, critical attitudes. Whatever the cause, bitterness grows out of unreleased loss. Someone has written: Bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.
Two guys were walking through the countryside. They were on their way to another village to help bring in the crops. As they walked, they spied an old woman sitting on the edge of a river. She was upset because there was no bridge, and she couldn’t get across on her own. The first guy kindly offered, “We will carry you across, if you would like.” She gratefully accepted their offer and after they crossed all went on their ways. After walking a mile or so, one man complained about how his clothes got dirty carrying the woman and that his back was now hurting. As they continued to walk, he continued to complain about his back because of the old woman. “Why did we carry her?!” he said. Finally, he said, “I’ve got to stop because my back hurts so bad because of her.” The other man said, “Have you wondered why I’m not complaining? Your back hurts because you are still carrying the woman. I set her down 5 miles back.”
Ahithophel would not let go of his anger and bitterness and, as a result, took his own life. Don’t let that happen to you. God is like an oyster. He can take the grain of irritating bitterness and turn it into a pearl, valuable and useful, if you let Him.
Ike Graham