How to Overcome Bitterness Biblically: 30 Helpful Ways (2022)

One of the things that stage itself as strongholds in our hearts is bitterness. It rises from little arguments or disagreements and builds up to becoming resentment against another which could, in turn, become hatred. However, how to overcome bitterness biblically is the best way to handle such things that darkness itself plants in the heart of men.

Acrimony is what could make a man do what he didn’t think he was capable of which involves hurting another person. However, whether or not you were the cause of what happened, rather than justify the reason for remaining at enmity with a person, you should fight the possible effects of bitterness ahead with the weapons of love, and forgiveness.

God desires that the world be filled with love and affection. This is only how the light will thrive in our communities. However, people need to know how to overcome bitterness biblically in their hearts first, then they can radiate the love of God.

It is easy if you are ready to let go. It is a load that drags us back from the race of getting to know Christ more. So with these few bible verses for resentment and bitterness and scriptural prayer for bitterness and resentment, you are on your way to total freedom from such.

What God Says About Anger and Bitterness

The scripture tells us that God is Love (1 John 4:16), and we have to abide in love, retaining no hurt in our hearts against another person. Love, which is God is the only one who can show us how to overcome bitterness biblically through the help of the understanding the Holy Spirit gives us.

Let’s look into the dangers of bitterness as well as admonishments on overcoming them to know what God says about anger and bitterness.

1. God resists the bitter and proud: Anger hardens the heart and God resists and stands against the progress of a man that carries himself that way. It makes a man puffed up and makes him act like a god. Bitterness and pride go hand in hand and they are the present qualities of a man that is about to fall. God would resist the proud, and pride goes before a fall.

2. The wise don’t get angry: This is indeed true because anger makes one outrageous and could lead you to speak and do things that should not be done. The wise observe more than they act out, they are not people who respond to offense spontaneously. This is according to what God says to us in Ecclesiastes 7:9 ‘Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry; for anger lies in the bosom of fools.’

3. Be angry, but let it go: The scripture says that we should not let the sun go down on our anger. This requires that we be fervent in love so that we can overlook the wrongs done to us and be able to move ahead. Think of it, what if the person just didn’t have a chance to apologize?

The point is, why should you remain angry when you could just let it go, pray about it and receive deliverance from the spirit of bitterness to experience abundant joy and affection in your heart as God wants for all mankind. Having peace towards all men is truly the way to live as our Father admonishes us.

4. Danger of the judgment: We believe that there is judgment after this life on earth, and the scripture records as Jesus said in Matthew 5:22 ‘But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment…’ Therefore, let’s beware of this one thing that could make us lose eternal life with God.

5. Evil thrives where there is bitterness: James 3:16.’for where envying and strife are, there will be confusion and every evil work.’ There is no telling how much destruction a man is capable of until he is angry. God doesn’t want this for us.

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6. Bitterness defiles a man: This is a fall from grace. Grace that brought purity to us and near to God. But a bitter man cannot stay near the God that forgives and who is called love. Love has no limit to forgiving men their offense. Hebrews 12:15 ‘looking diligently lest any man fails of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled.’

How to Overcome Unforgiveness

Unless you learn how to overcome bitterness biblically, you might just do it your way by just telling the person off or exchanging gifts with the other person that hurt you. This, in the real sense, never gets rid of the feeling of bitterness totally, because it might have seated deep within your soul.

So, here’s how to overcome unforgiveness and receive healing from bitterness before it takes over your heart because bitterness rots the bones so well. They include some letting go of resentment quotes.

7. Remember that God also forgives you your trespasses. Let this sink into your hearts and you should also with this understanding forgive others so that you can be free from bitterness.

8. Be accommodating, bearing in mind that everyone tends to offend another person. Let go of what anyone has done to hurt you and you’ll find yourself being accepted also by others who had issues relating to you.

9. Refuse to be stiff-necked about any circumstance. Be flexible as to your values still maintaining a good standard of it. So when a person tramples on you, you won’t feel easily offended and then you can overcome the unforgiving spirit. (Deuteronomy.10.16; ‘Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.’)

10. Make confessions from the scriptures to yourself, declaring that you have the mind of Christ and so no sort of hatred can spring up in you. Get rid of the hurt by rooting it out with the word of God.

11. Unforgiveness is like a yoke and Jesus says that we should lay it down and take up his burden. To overcome unforgiveness, take up a meek heart like Jesus (Matthew 11:28-30), and walk lightly, free from the trouble and weight of unforgiveness.

12. Unforgiveness could break the edge and make room for the enemies’ attack, stay in the love of God, and see unforgiveness dissolve out of your soul, mind, and heart. It is also a weight that could slow down or stagnate your faith life race.

How to Forgive Someone Who Hurt You

Love covers multitudes of sin (1 Pet.4:8), and just as the Lord God gave us love (Rom.5:8) through His begotten son to forgive us. Bitterness towards men is bitterness and resentment towards God too. Everyone is made in the image of God and until you begin to learn to see God in everybody, you’ll not be able to know how to forgive someone who hurt you.

Also, come to think of it, you have also hurt others deeply too and can’t say what might happen tomorrow. Being not perfect yet, you should also accommodate the imperfections of another person. So, learn below on how to overcome bitterness biblically.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (Love is the way to overcome bitterness)
4- ‘LOVE SUFFERS LONG, AND IS KIND; LOVE ENVIES NOT; LOVE VAUNTS NOT ITSELF, AND IS NOT PUFFED UP,
5- DOES NOT BEHAVE ITSELF UNSEEMLY, SEEKS NOT HER OWN, IS NOT EASILY PROVOKED, THINKS NO EVIL;
6- REJOICES NOT IN INIQUITY, BUT THE TRUTH
7- BEARS ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, AND ENDURES ALL THINGS’

Love is the peak of the weapons you need to learn about how to battle bitterness and kicking out bitterness and forgiveness will be the order of the day for you irrespective of other offenses that comes your way.

13. To love is to allow yourself to be offended (verse 4a), giving room in your heart for offense, and accommodating people’s weaknesses, knowing that you also have yours. With this, you can forgive anyone ahead.

14. According to verse 5; ‘…love is not easily provoked.’ If you cannot be easily provoked, then you’ll know how to forgive easily too.

15. Love rejoices not in iniquity (verse 6), so when you’re offended because you are not convenient with the sin of anger and bitterness, you’ll be able to let go of your hurt.

16. According to verse 7; Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. This is faith and hope in people. If you can believe that there is goodness in everyone, you’ll be able to let go of the wrongs they did. Knowing that they could be good for you too.

17. Still on verse 5; love thinks no evil. Bitterness is evil, or say, it is the root of evil. So, with love, you’ll have no place for unforgiveness and be able to forgive.

18. Unforgiveness puffs up a person because it makes you think you are better than the person who offended you. Love is not puffed up, it is humble, meek, kind, and gentle. When you aren’t puffed up, you’ll want to come down to people’s level, so you’ll forgive and relate well with people.

How to Get Rid of Bitterness in Your Heart

One of the qualities that makes you different from the other person is knowing how to get rid of bitterness in your heart. It’s a virtue many fail to realize because it always differentiates you from other persons. I know this because I know how light-hearted and lovable you’ll be to everyone around you when your heart is free from heaviness.

Everyone likes the jovial person than the grumpy one. So, to do this truly from the heart, you should learn how to overcome bitterness biblically because you can’t escape getting offended by persons.

19. So, laying bitterness aside according to Hebrews 12:1-2;

‘Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

You’ll be able to run the race of faith by obeying this scripture. Also, bitterness can only be laid off by looking at Jesus, who has nailed all such to the cross. He was tempted as we were, but he didn’t conform to them.

20. Meet the person and pour out your heart, it’s like opening the window of a stuffed or polluted room. As you vent your heart out in honesty, declare your love for him or her truly meaning it from your heart. This would help you let go. (2 Thessalonians.3:15; ‘Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.’)

21. How to not be bitter is to walk in the spirit and operate in the fruit of the spirit in Galatians.5:22-25. That is to express the fruit of the spirit as listed in the verse above. You can only deal with carnality by the spirit.

22. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Bitterness is a battle of the mind and you can only pull down such a stronghold of resentment that would not let you commune with God with spiritual weapons.

With the sword of truth and other armor as listed in the verse above, we operate as the new man we are in the sport and can walk over such demeaning character.

23. How to overcome spiritual distractions like resentment, hatred, anger, and bitterness is to get rid of them immediately such thoughts tend to stay in our hearts by repenting.

Also, the scripture says that we should rebuke the enemy and he would flee from us. The enemy brings bitterness, but we can send it packing away and receive the never-ending love of the holy spirit.

24. Praying for the person who hurt you would do your heart a lot of good. As the scripture also admonishes in Matthew.5:43-44 that we pray for our enemies. It is a wise way to get rid of and relieve ourselves from a load of bitterness.

Prayers to Overcome Bitterness and Resentment

Whether we call them prayers to overcome bitterness and resentment or prayers of deliverance from bitterness and resentment, we are seeking to use to fight the root of bitterness scripture with a scriptural understanding that will help us press into the victory of deliverance from a bitter spirit.

This is how to overcome bitterness biblically, by praying until you see yourself as a changed person and transformed, having the mind of Christ.

25. Dear God, why is my heart so bitter! I do not know how to root out this bitterness, but I cry for deliverance today. I know you will not leave my soul in hell for bitterness is for those that dwell in darkness. I am of Light and so I declare that I’m free in Jesus’ name!

26. Dear Father, I pray that you remove every root of bitterness and unforgiveness. For you have not planted them in me except that of love. I overcome this day as I call on the name of Jesus and the cleansing blood of Jesus to set me free.

27. Consecrate my heart dear father to serve you. Take away this ravenous bitterness, it seats deep into my soul and I cannot but cry to you for help.

28. Deliver me from guilt feelings, for I have carried hurt in my heart for so long. But thou oh lord will deliver and make me free from this spirit of bondage.

29. As your Word says in Matthew 18:21, please dear Lord, help me to forgive my brothers endlessly. Give me a new heart of flesh and not of stone. Help me to forgive easily to be able to draw near to your throne and offer an acceptable sacrifice.

30. When I call, I know that you will answer. Write your love in my heart and help me live free from the bondage of bitterness in Jesus’ name.

Some examples of resentment in the bible show us that the end of it is always injurious to the person involved. So, with the sermons on anger and bitterness, realizing that you still can’t let go of it, you should pick the knowledge from this article on how to overcome bitterness biblically.

Praying intensely with the biblical verses and trusting to overcome. Do you have any questions? Kindly ask in the comment section below. Don’t forget to share this with other people through your social media.