Has life given up on you or have you given up on life?
You know the scene in the disaster movie when life on the planet is about to end. The characters move towards each other and confess their undying love to the person who they have held their feelings back from for years. “I just wanted you to know before we die, I love you, I always have loved you.” Or vows are recommitted between a couple, they well always love each other, they will never forget the other. As cheesy as this is, “I’ll ever let go Rose!” It still seems to tug at our heart strings. When we know life is about to end we are brought to the understanding of the importance of relationships. We reach out, we reconcile, we recommit to one another.
Contrast this to when we have given up on life before life is about to give up on us. Instead of love and reaching out, instead of coming together and reconciling we push others away. Instead of the desire and flow of love we let the words pour from the bitterness of our hearts. Job 9 & 10 are the pouring of a man’s heart as he has given up on live. The first verse of chap 10 is Job telling us he has no concern for his life, he has given up on being alive so he will let his complaint pour freely from the bitterness of his heart.
Have you ever been accosted by the bitterness of someone? The words shared are so bitter and hurtful. Perhaps the person questions you as a person, your integrity, even the call God has placed on your life. I remember a phone call like that a couple of years ago. A parent was very up set about a situation with their child and I was the one who received the full force of their anger. I have to confess I didn’t respond well and I got defensive. I made my apologies and after a time so did the parent. I remember a school newspaper railing against a ministry team I was a part of in College. We came to find out later the writer of these articles was a student who was very bitter at God and her own church experience.
If you have harsh words coming towards you today, I invite you into the possibly stressful situation of listening for the pain lying beneath the bitterness. This very possibly is someone who has given up on some part of their life. If we are the right ones to listen through their anger and bitterness we might just find out what the source of the pain is underneath and who knows perhaps God can use us to bring healing to this bitterness.
May we remember bitterness and bitter words often come from someone who has given up.
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