Dealing with bitterness or unforgiveness?

Bitterness.  Unforgiveness.  Simple words, but hard to change.  Are you struggling with bitterness?  Do you need to forgive someone?  As I was reading The Resolution for Men by the Kendrick brothers this week, they shared some helpful thoughts and quotes.  I will share some of them below.

"Bitterness can hold any good man down.  Guilt can turn the mightiest men into cowards. Both of these spiritual burdens result from failing to respond wisely to failure--bitterness from not forgiving those who have wronged you, and guilt from sinning against God and others...without making it right."

"Bitterness does more damage in the life where it is stored than the one on whom it is poured."

"Forgiveness is pardoning a legitimate debt that is owed. Your forgiveness will not release them from the consequences of their sin. But it will release you from the burden, weight, and pain of having to worry about holding them accountable yourself for their sins."

"Forgiveness is a gift."

"Someone has said, "To forgive is to set a prisoner free... and discover that the prisoner was you."

I hope these are helpful as you process your own bitterness or unforgiveness.  But ultimately, it is God working in you that will empower you to do the hard work to let go of bitterness and forgive.  Remember, the same power that raised Christ from the dead is living in you as a believer (Ephesians 1:20).  This power can help you overcome unforgiveness and bitterness.  Nothing is impossible for God!