One of my friends posted this today and it struck me how profound and life changing this one thought has been in my life. I haven’t always handled bitterness well. How I wish I could say I’ve finally learned this lesson and never choose bitterness over being better, but bitterness is undaunting.
Bitterness comes to us in the fierceness of our circumstances and then, he comforts us with all kinds of reassurances, such as he only wants to create safe havens for our hearts. And it can be hard to decipher because Bitterness makes room for himself and then leaves no room for situations or people that can potentially hurt us. But in all actuality, bitterness extinguishes life. That’s exactly what he does. There is life and joy and this desire to become better but he undermines and isolates us until we can’t no longer see the Joy choices.
But it’s what I want. I want to choose to freely forgive and freely embrace every day I’m given. Sometimes giving up the comfort of bitterness cannot be seen in the moment. I find bitterness makes it so easy to cling to him. And then there is that hurt factor. No one wants to be hurt. I’ve been so hurt by factors in and out of my control.
There are people who have worse circumstances than me and then people who might have better circumstances. But this is my moment, my life, I want to choose my joy over bitterness. Choose to say “I’m sorry”, chose to love, chose to let people know I am glad they are part of my life. Bitterness does not own me, he does not have the right to choose my Joy moments.
I’ve not always done everything perfect in giving up bitterness. This past September was my first born’s wedding. Things have been tough in the last 3 years but this was one of those “choosing” moments. Setting aside bitterness for joy and dancing with my son, who I am so very proud of. I cherish this picture as much as his baby picture. 
A woman who chose joy 