Dear Lord,
I’m brooding, rehashing, and building my case against the one who wronged me. I keep thinking about what I should have said, wishing I’d slung zingers in the moment instead of only thinking of them now.
My outrage makes it hard to hear You. It’s like the more I try to justify my bitterness, the less I feel your presence. It’s as though my bitter thoughts are poisoning my soul with arsenic.
That’s not what I want. I don’t want to turn against Your grace, especially because I know that Your Word says You won’t forgive me if I won’t forgive others. That sounds harsh until I feel the weight of my own sin. It’s just as nasty as the sin against me. When I indulge in bitterness, the blame I point at others points right back to me.
So out of my love for You, Lord, I give You this situation and ask for You to turn it around. And while I’m at it, I give You all my dirty laundry—my bitterness, rage, anger, fighting, slander, and malice. In exchange, give me Your power to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving, just as You’ve forgiven me.
Bitterness has no place in my life because Your love (in me) will cover every wrong. Your power (in me) will give me the strength to forgive not only others but even myself. Thank You, Lord.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Guard against turning back from the grace of God. Let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison.
Hebrews 12:15 GNT
If you forgive the failures of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failures.
Matthew 6:14–15 GW
Don’t say, “I will get even for this wrong.”
Wait for the LORD to handle the matter.
Proverbs 20:22 NLT
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:31–32 NIV
Hate starts quarrels,
but love covers every wrong.
Proverbs 10:12 GW