One of my traditions during the Christmas is to cook the “Noche Buena”. That is a big meal that Latino families prepare on Christmas Eve. One of my favorite Cuban dishes is Yuca. Cassava is another name for it. It’s kind of like a potato. It’s actually a root.
Yuca is a very popular food in the Latin world but here is the thing. Yuca, can be very poisonous. It actually releases the toxin Cyanide. Did I mention that cook this thing?
Now one of the reasons Yuca or Cassava is such a popular crop to grow is because it will grow in pretty much any soil. Especially in dry soil. But once again, the dryer the soil is, the greater quantity of cyanide in the root. The author of Hebrews writes about another root; the root of “bitterness.”
Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. –Hebrews 12:15
The Bible speaks of bitterness as a poisonous root that can corrupt us. That word corrupt or defile as the NIV puts it in the original Greek is “miano”. It’s a word that means to stain, to pollute, to contaminate. Bitterness is a root that produces a poison, a toxin. A person who is bitter will exude the poison of hatred, anger, and rage.
Those things are toxic to relationships.
Now how does a bitter root start? A bitter root starts in the soil of a hurt or emotional wound that hasn’t been dealt with. A bitter root grows within the soil of a wounded heart, an emotional injury, a hurt. Someone betrays you and instead of handling that hurt biblically, your absorb it. Why do you absorb it? Because that’s what roots do.
You see, roots absorb, roots grow, roots store. Roots absorb all the water from the soil that they can. In the same way, that root of bitterness in your life will absorb all the pain from that hurt and turn it into a toxin which will contaminate every area of your life.
So how do we “uproot” bitterness in our lives? The answer is rather simple. The problem is, not many people like the answer because it involves using the “F Word”; forgiveness…
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. –Ephesians 4:31
Not an easy solution, but a simple one to uprooting bitterness in our lives. Simple but admittedly often painful forgiveness. Notice to what extent we are to forgive; “Just as in Christ God forgave you.” How much has God forgiven you of your sins? Then for the sake of your own soul, forgive others just as much. Having walked with many people through deliverance from demons, I have seen time and time again that unforgiveness has often been a stronghold that the enemy uses to keep people in bondage. Don't let a root of bitterness poison your life. -PJ
Pastor Joseph Reeder is Teaching Pastor at "Resurrection River" a nondenominational Spirit Filled church in Columbia NC with an emphasis in evangelism, deliverance, and leading people into powerful encounters with the Holy Spirit. Pastor Joseph is known for connecting the Gospel to the unchurched and helping people receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. To have Pastor Joseph speak at your next revival, youth meeting, church conference, camp meeting, or other church event call 252-796-7781 or email Pastor Joseph directly at joseph.reeder62@gmail.com
