We start out in life, as the Word of God says, born under sin. As time goes by, we tend to accumulate excess baggage due to the nature of the flesh; our sin nature. As a born–again child of God, you have the chance to unload any of that old stuff and get a fresh start. Some of it, however, may have been with you for so long or have been such a significant part of your past that it is hard to part with it, to let it go.
Some things are helpful for you on your journey and some things can get in the way or even be harmful. One thing that fits in that last category is bitterness. The word literally means “poison”. Everyone knows that poison is detrimental to your health and well–being and can even be fatal. So, it is the same with bitterness; it will, at the very least weigh you down and has the potential to destroy your life. “But”, you may say, “I have a very good reason to be bitter, if you only knew what I have gone through.” No matter how good your reason is to be bitter, you have a much better reason to let it go — there’s no need to go through life poisoning yourself with bitterness when you can be free of that burden forever!
Another thing that can be just as heavy a burden to carry around with you everywhere is unforgiveness. To forgive is, “to pardon, to grant a favor”. An offence has been committed against you at some time in your past and you have been carrying that around with you. No good ever comes of it, but it is yours to bear if you choose to hold onto it. But, what if you forgive the person and they don’t even deserve your forgiveness, where’s the justice in that? Leave that in the Lord’s hands, you are free of the burden when you forgive, He will take care of the rest!
If you have some of that extra baggage hanging onto you, now is the time to let it go. Decide right now that bitterness is not going to be poisoning you any longer; let it go. And, just as the Lord has been gracious to forgive you, here is your chance to do the same; let it go!