I always love hearing from you, my radio friend!
Yes, I do. It means so much to me personally that you tune in to hear me share every day. But it means even more when you take time and effort to jot me a line on my radio page. Sometimes you’ve sent me favorite poems or you share an experience with a special Bible verse. Often you write me with questions. Like Rene, who responded to a program I did not long ago. She said – listen to this – she wrote, “Joni, I listened to your testimony about your hospital experience with the hip problems and your flu. You talked about struggling with a root of bitterness. If it's not too personal of a question, can I ask what was the root of bitterness inside you that you had to uproot? I would like to know more. Thanks, Rene.”
Now, I’ve got an idea of what Rene was getting at. Many people think that when you’ve got quadriplegia, and you’re in a wheelchair, and then you’ve got to deal with a bone fracture, then on top of that the flu, it’s like, “Hello, God, aren’t you asking a bit much here? Aren’t you being a bit heavy-handed?” Some Christians think that when problems pile on that high – especially on top of someone already dealing with more hardships than most normally handle – they assume that when God loads on one too many hardships that that allows you to be bitter with good reason. It allows you to be justified in thinking that you deserve a little time off from obeying the Lord. You can’t be blamed if you fly off the handle or if you get a little worldly for a while, or just kick back and push Bible study and prayer aside. I mean, come on, after all, you are going through so much, so many trials. You’ll show God he doesn’t have to be trusted if things get too tough.
Now, I can’t say for sure that that was Rene’s line of thinking, but, let me tell you how I answered her. I said, “Rene thanks for contacting me after you listened to my story on the radio – and, yes, there have been times in years past when I’ve struggled against bitterness. Bitterness is basically resentment against God. And it could be for anything. It’s anger against God that you coddle way down deep in your heart, and it is like a root. It can sink smaller fibers of discontent and doubt even deeper that anchor themselves into your heart. And when discontent and doubt become embedded – when your disposition becomes sour and you make a habit of not starting your day off with the Lord – well, that bitterness is very difficult to then uproot. It’s why the Bible emphatically says in Hebrews 12, ‘See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.’ That’s right. Bitterness not only brings you trouble, it infects everyone around you.
“I readily admit that, in the beginning, I felt that my spinal cord injury gave me an excuse – a really good excuse – to be angry at God. I thought I was justified in my anger against him and his plan. But a good friend warned me against cultivating that root of bitterness. And I’m so glad I confessed my anger. And now, years later, I’m actually glad for his plan!”
That’s what I said to Rene. And I’ll ask you the same: Are you glad for God's plan in your life? I hope so. Because friend, you don’t want to fool around with bitterness. Oh, and please know that our staff gathers every morning to intercede on behalf of friends like you who contact our ministry in need of prayer. Whether it’s an upcoming surgery or a prodigal child gone astray, contact us today on my radio page at joniradio.org.
Oh, and finally, one last word on this subject – today, do not miss the grace of God. Take hold of it, friend. It is the surest and best way to safeguard yourself against a root of bitterness. See you next time on Joni and Friends.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
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Agoura Hills, CA 91376
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