The Progression of Bitterness

Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice. —Ephesians 4:31

In Ephesians 4, Paul describes a cluster of emotions that come along with bitterness. I know from experience that bitterness almost always travels in a nasty pack. When bitterness is taking root in my heart, usually wrath is, too. The same goes for anger, slander, and malice.

My pastor described these emotions as a progression.

• If we don’t deal with bitterness, that bitterness will progress toward extreme anger (that’s wrath).
• If we don’t deal with the anger, we will start to demand what we want.
• If that doesn’t work, we will start to talk bad about the object of our bitterness in the hope of recruiting others to agree with and justify our feelings (that’s slander).
• If that goes unchecked, we will eventually have a desire to cause harm to the person we are bitter toward.

Along the way, people are hurt, relationships are derailed, joy is stolen, and growth of the fruit of the Spirit is stunted. Letting bitterness grow is never worth it.