Healing from Roots of Bitterness

A caustic tongue, a snub, a cruelty inflicted, something somewhere really hurt us and we are wounded, and we cannot forget, we cannot forgive. That terrible wound inflicted on our soul that cuts like a knife. The pain is excruciating and the memory never fades. No, it is not that easy to forgive and forget sometimes.

There are two roads, repression and suppression, pretending it never happened or crushing the memories to the darkest corners of the soul hoping it would never pop out again into our memory chambers and carrying on with life as if nothing ever happened wearing the cloak of pretense. The other road, hold the "grudge" and continue with it living in our soul day and night and continue with the pain and hurt within. Soon those little seeds of anger turn to hatred and over a season of time into bitterness and in some cases, people take the drastic step of revenge, which can even go to the extreme of taking the life of the perpetrator. Time is not always a healer if we do not deal with something.

When bitter seeds are scatted in the soul, bitter roots start to sprout out of those seeds to dig deep into the soul, bitter acid punctuating the soul with holes, corroding and eating up the soul. The capacity of a bitter person is like a stretched rubber-band and is highly stressed and outsourced to its eroding, corroding, eating acid.

There are countless testimonies of people whose souls were charred with bitterness, but on receiving a touch from God, were able to forgive and let go. On letting go, they got dramatically healed.

Arthritis can be caused due to deficiencies in our bones, genetically passed down as doctors would say, but there are many cases where the diseases of the bones are connected to the condition of the soul as bitterness seeps deep into the bones.

One testimony in my mind in particular is very clear. There was a lady who suffered with a debilitating arthritis where her fingers were curled up like a claw and there was very little she could do, and she had pain in her joints all over. Her life was miserable and limited. One day, someone who happened to hear her bitter tirades told she needed to forgive those who had wronged her. She refused, furious that she would even suggest something like that to her. When she went home that night, she had a flash illumination that what that person said to her was actually very correct, she will filled with bitterness for people who had hurt her in the past. She took a deep breath and said a brief prayer, "Jesus, I cannot forgive them all, but through You, you help me to." After that short prayer, a heavy burden rolled off her back and she felt very light. Suddenly she felt her whole body relax and felt a burning warmth throughout. She did not realize anything because she was not looking for a healing. When she stood up, she was surprised to find out she had no pain, and then with a wonderful realization, she saw her fingers had uncurled! She started to dance and sing, and later shared her testimony with many.

I too find that the days I am tense or even angry, even nurturing some bitter thoughts, I feel sharp pain shooting through my body and feel an ache in my bones!

Steps to healing:
- The ultimate marvelous greatest deliverance from bitterness by turning to God and asking Him for help:and of course, the more we seek His Presence, the more easily the roots of bitterness will untangle from our soul and dissipate, dissolve, and disappear, and we will receive healing for our souls to make us whole. 

- Only after we turn to God can we get strength to forgive our foes. We cannot forgive in our natural strength.

- In forgiveness, we are set free and by Divine principle, our offender is set free. Matthew 18:21-35.  This is the law of forgiveness and in forgiving, the roots of bitterness snap, crack and break off.. no longer entrenched in our soul.

- After you forgive by faith, stop thinking about the things that cause you bitterness.  This is by sheer will.  Those surging thoughts that rise like waves in the brain can be controlled only by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Ask Him to keep those waves out.  A habit is formed after ten days, so if you stop churning with these thoughts, eventually, you will be healed.

- Healing is a deep long process, so never get discouraged if it takes you more time to get rid of bitterness.  Give yourself a loads of grace and allow the mercy of God to wrap you and carry you through your healing walk.


Eventually, a miracle transpires in our soul when we look for help beyond our natural means. It is so simple with Christ, not so simple without Him.

Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Hebrews 12:15 Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

© Rita Farhat Kurian