Bitter

I have been walking through a season of bitterness. It is one of those seasons every human experiences. Even the most annoyingly cheerful person doesn’t have enough silver linings in their positive pockets for this sin-cursed life. You cannot outrun it or live perfectly enough because Jesus tasted it. We will taste bitter one way or another. 

Nothing God does is without purpose. The difficulty remains that we ignore or dismiss the things we do not understand. 

Bitter – 

1. having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet.
2. (of people or their feelings or behavior) angry, hurt, or resentful because of one’s bad experiences or a sense of unjust treatment.

Can you enjoy the bitter? Should I enjoy bitterness? There is danger in thinking that the singular experience is meant for long-term consumption. There is a complement in experience. However, all parts of the experience must be recognized and valued for contribution. We often attempt to experience one side without the other. We wallow in bitter self-pity or fart sunshine and rainbow to no end. When we do this, we fail to gain the fullness of the experience God has for us.  

The word comes from the Latin complēre (meaning “to complete”). Complement refers to something that completes something else. 

I have been writing through the book of Psalms, and this pattern of complementary opposing experiences is very apparent. If one needs a model of how bitter and sweet are woven together, this book does it well—the true tension and complexity in the human experience. 

Bitter foods have been shown to aid digestion, help nutrient absorption, stimulate immune function, and even help keep sugar cravings at bay.

God has created balance for a purpose. Bitterness is not a sin. It is a tool. Like all tools, they can be used to sin or to encourage and strengthen. The difficulty is knowing how to use the tool. No one teaches us how to use bitterness. We are only told to get rid of it. 

The tool is in my hand as I type these words. Bitterness is in my marriage, work, and relationship with God. I am holding on to it to use it for the benefit of those around me and myself. I dare not let it go for the loss of its benefit. I also care not to hold on to it too long if it harms me. Where is the aid that it provides?

There is profit here. There is goodness. Bitter, sour, sweet, and savory. God wants us to experience the full array. The fullness is to be able to swim in the entire pool. 

Bitterness, along with the other tastes of life, are, at their core, indicators. They are not the things to be chased. They are the proof. They are the flavor, not the substance. 

Did God create bitter and sour, or is it a result of sin? 

The temptation to throw off or ignore bitterness can be strong. I think we miss a part of the picture when we do. What would light be without darkness? How good would a painting be if the artist only used bright colors and never introduced shade? We live our lives in contrast. Sometimes, that contrast is too heavy to bear. 

Bitterness is born out of impatience. Have you ever tried to drink Kool-Aid before it was thoroughly mixed?

The bitterness comes from not knowing the entire story. There is a sense of injustice. We believe for a moment God is no longer working things out for our good. The question now becomes, what is the thing causing my unbelief? God has never changed, so I must have.