Bitterness Will Bottleneck You: The Power of Forgiveness and Healing
I heard the Father say, “Bitterness will bottleneck you.” Those words are searing, piercing into my heart as a reminder of the dangerous grip bitterness can have on our lives. It doesn’t just hinder us; it halts our movement, stunts our growth, and enslaves us to our past wounds. To be enslaved means to lose our freedom—our freedom of choice, our freedom to act, and our ability to move forward with joy and purpose. Bitterness chains us to what was, and in doing so, steals our right to experience the fullness of life and the freedom that God intends for us.
We must take care of bitterness in our hearts because it blocks the flow of His Spirit in our lives. The Spirit is meant to move freely through us, bringing wisdom, love, and peace. But when bitterness is present, it clogs the channels, preventing us from receiving all that God desires to give. We must release it, remove the impurity, so that purity can flow in and out of us.
God spoke to me with clarity: “Bitterness is the birthplace of arrogance, pride, and entitlement.” It gives birth to a false narrative in our hearts—one that says, “You owe me.” But this is a lie. Jesus paid the price for all of us, for every sin, for every hurt, for every wound. There are no debts left to settle. Jesus has already taken care of everything. No one owes us anything. We have free access to the heavenly hope chest. Whatever we need, He is ready to provide.
When we allow bitterness to linger, we begin to inflict pain on others. It becomes an act of licking our own wounds—playing the victim, clinging to our suffering as if it were a source of identity. Bitterness creates a false sense of control, a lie that convinces us we can protect ourselves by holding onto our hurt. But in reality, it only deepens the wound and keeps us trapped in insecurity.
Stop making others pay the price for your pain. Let the Father’s love sweep over you, bring you into wholeness, and heal the broken places in your heart. Surrender your suffering, and let Him apply the healing salve of Heaven to every area of your life. Take it in. Breathe it in. Let His peace fill you.
I heard the Father say, “I am making you oaks of righteousness.” The Hebrew word for “oak” or “terebinth” tree (elah and alon) carries incredible significance. These trees are known for their strength and resilience. Even when cut down, the terebinth tree has the miraculous ability to regenerate and sprout again, growing back stronger than before. God is turning our pain into purpose. He is turning our wounds into wisdom. He is making us sturdy, like the terebinth trees, able to stand tall and unshaken despite the storms we’ve endured.
Isaiah 61:3 speaks of this transformation: “To provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” God is exchanging our ashes for beauty, our mourning for joy, our despair for praise. We are being planted as oaks of righteousness for His glory.
This reminds me of the story of Ruth and Naomi. Naomi, whose name means “bitter,” experienced profound loss and grief. She had lost her husband and sons and found herself in a place of deep sorrow. Her pain was real, and she even changed her name to reflect her bitterness. Yet, through this season of suffering, something beautiful emerged. Ruth, her daughter-in-law, chose not to abandon Naomi. Ruth chose to stay, to love, and to serve, even when it was difficult. Through Ruth’s faithfulness and God’s divine intervention, Naomi’s bitterness was transformed into joy. Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David, and from her line, Jesus, the Savior, was born.
God spoke to me once more: “Bitterness does not come from the pain you endure; it comes from the response you have to that pain.” We cannot always control the pain we experience, but we can control how we respond. We can choose to be bitter or choose to forgive. We can choose to lie down as victims of circumstance, or we can rise up as warriors, strengthened by God’s grace.
The choice is ours.
Scripture reminds us of the power of forgiveness in overcoming bitterness:
- “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)
- “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:14-15)
- “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.” (Matthew 6:14)
Forgiveness is not easy, but it is the only way to release bitterness and to allow God’s healing power to work in our lives. Bitterness will hold you back, but forgiveness will set you free. You can choose to stay stuck in your pain, or you can choose to forgive and rise into the fullness of God’s promises.
Let go of bitterness. Stop letting your past wounds dictate your future. Surrender your pain to God, and allow Him to heal you. You are being transformed into an oak of righteousness, strong and steadfast. Let the Father’s love and healing flow through you today.