Devotions: Bitterness

Billy, thank you for that message. This comment is so appropriate. So often when we become the victims of divorce and adultery or abuse, it is so easy to fall prey to bitterness and revenge and become enslaved by it. It is very hard to accept that there is injustice in this world, and we're disappointed and threatened when we encounter it because if our country cannot be trusted to handle the issue of marital faithfulness with any integrity or decency, how can we feel any affection or security at all with our nation?

When we're cheated by our spouse and then we find we're dragged into court to be threatened with robbery, extorted by our attorneys, and threatened with the loss of our children, and then we pay for protection from this injustice only to find the system gets off, gets rich, feels validated and powerful by the abuse of the faithful and their children for wealth, it is not hard at all to wonder why some people go crazy and grab a gun and do terrible things.  In fact, it is a miracle this doesn't happen more often with the little constraint and integrity people have these days. But, when a person becomes enslaved to bitterness, he or she can justify any sin at all.

There is a sense of security we feel knowing that those who exercise power over us have our well-being and the well-being of society and our families at heart. When this is violated and when this system turns against the faithful and innocent, everything in us may want to lash out and destroy this system or destroy those who are corrupting it. But, righteousness does not come from the anger of man. Sometimes we have to bear the pain and behave well anyway.

But, the good thing about this is that it is a declaration of emancipation when we do this. We make a statement that we will not be ruled by bitterness, that it will not be our god and our lord and that we will make our own choices to do what is right regardless of the temptations that drive us to seek vengeance. When we seek vengeance and we get hurt afterward, few people in society will care that we're hurt. But, when we see people protesting in peace and love as Martin Luther King did, when we see people doing this with a purpose and a dream, when we see people take blows and persecution and abuse, and when we see the offenders behaving like raging Nazis they are, this can help cause society and politicians to want to align themselves with what is seen to be benevolent. Martin Luther King refused to strike back because he was strong enough in spirit, in mind, in wisdom, in character, in love, in courage to do so. And he won as did others who stood with him. And, those who stood against him also won, though they did not get what they wanted. But, this world is a better place because of him.