{"id":307319,"date":"2021-12-08T08:02:43","date_gmt":"2021-12-08T13:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/help-im-living-with-a-bitter-person\/"},"modified":"2021-12-08T08:02:43","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T13:02:43","slug":"help-im-living-with-a-bitter-person","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/help-im-living-with-a-bitter-person\/","title":{"rendered":"Help! I&#8217;m Living with a Bitter Person"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Living with a bitter person can feel exhausting, defeating. How can you love them without losing your happiness&#8230;or sanity? Author Stephen Viars weighs in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/mp3.familylife.com\/fl2021-12-08.mp3","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:27:37","filesize":"25.29M","filesize_raw":"26520769","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2873],"tags":[2990,2698,2699],"podcast_series":[8492],"cwp_profile":[9749],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-307319","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mental-and-emotional-issues","tag-anger","tag-bitterness","tag-forgiveness","podcast_series-overcoming-bitterness","cwp_profile-stephen-viars","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/307319\/help-im-living-with-a-bitter-person","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/307319\/help-im-living-with-a-bitter-person","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"5ImKejBbw7\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/help-im-living-with-a-bitter-person\/\">Help! 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This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"spectra_custom_meta":{"_wp_page_template":["default"],"transcript_url":["https:\/\/transcript.familylife.com\/fl2021-12-08.pdf"],"audio_file":["https:\/\/mp3.familylife.com\/fl2021-12-08.mp3"],"transcript_content":["<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Okay, one of my big theme ideas in 30 years of preaching had something to do with bitterness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Oh, yes; memorable.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Let\u2019s see if you even know. Does the wife of the pastor listen to the pastor\u2019s sermons?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Oh, no!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>, where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most. I\u2019m Ann Wilson.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> And I\u2019m Dave Wilson, and you can find us at FamilyLifeToday.com or on our FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> app.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> One of my big theme ideas in 30 years of preaching\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Does it begin with the word, \u201cpain\u201d?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave: <\/strong>You can start with pain.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u201cPain will make you\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014\u201ccan make you\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014\u201cbetter or bitter.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave: <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Am I right?! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes, something like that. It\u2019s usually trials or adversity\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014trials; that\u2019s it!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014depends what the theme is that week. But you know valleys\u2014but really, pain\/trials\u2014you have a choice; it\u2019s going to be part of your life one way or another.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Pain and trials will be a part of <em>all<\/em> of our lives. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> You can allow God to use it and you become better, or you become bitter. Whenever I preach on that, and I\u2019ve done it many times over the years, I\u2019ll ask the audience: \u201cDo you know more bitter people or do you know more better people?\u201d guess what the answer <em>always<\/em> is.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u201cBitter.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave<\/strong>: \u201cMore bitter.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s interesting.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> People <em>don\u2019t<\/em> handle bitterness well. It could be the <em>exact<\/em> same trial in one person; you\u2019re like, \u201cHow are they <em>better<\/em>? How are they\u2026?\u201d And this [other] person went through the same thing, and you don\u2019t even want to be <em>near<\/em> them: and they\u2019re mad at their spouse, they\u2019re mad at their life; they\u2019re mad at God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBitterness is a part of all of our lives. We\u2019ve got Steve Viars back with us today. He wrote a book called <em>Overcoming Bitterness<\/em>. Every person wants to overcome bitterness and actually get from hurt to a life filled with joy.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Steve\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014welcome back. Glad to have you here. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> It\u2019s really been a privilege talking with you folks.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Your insights on this topic\/I mean, they\u2019re life-changing. It isn\u2019t like, \u201cOh, this is something some people deal with,\u201d\u2014we <em>all<\/em> [do]. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI told you before, when I was reading your book, I\u2019m like, \u201cOh, my goodness; I thought I was done\u2014[Laughter]\u2014with the bitterness in my life.\u201d And it rose up, like, \u201cOh, there\u2019s triggers that still come to overcome it.\u201d We\u2019ve got to keep talking about: \u201cHow we do we get through it?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOne of the things I love about your book\u2014and I love about you as a pastor in Indiana\u2014Faith Church; right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes, in Lafayette.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014Lafayette, Indiana. You\u2019re married with three kids and four grandkids, so you know life and carrying all that as well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou\u2019re a biblical scholar. I <em>love<\/em> the way you use the Word of God to say: \u201cThe answers are here; let\u2019s walk through.\u201d I think it would be fun today to walk through a story in Scripture that gives us a model of: \u201cHow do we overcome bitterness?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> One of the stories is the story of Naomi in the book of Ruth. It starts in a very hard place, because she and her husband and their two sons are facing a <em>famine<\/em>; so their family decides to go to Moab. Then the sons marry Moabitess women. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen the Scripture says\u2014and it\u2019s coming in rapid-fire succession because all of this happens in Chapter 1\u2014that both Naomi\u2019s husband and both of her sons died. I realize I might be talking to one of your listeners today, and they know the pain of death; so I\u2019m not just telling a story without thinking. I\u2019m undoubtedly bringing up all sorts of hurt and memories for so many who have experienced death in all sorts of ways.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, you have Naomi.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014which I\u2019m just going to say, as a woman, to lose both of your children and your husband, you are left desolate. This would be the lowest of lows that a person could be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Well, especially in that culture. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann: <\/strong>Exactly.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen: <\/strong>You talk about being vulnerable; you talk about being in a position of <em>danger<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s interesting is Naomi\u2014she was the Jewish woman\u2014so she was the one of those who were left that <em>should<\/em> have been leading her daughter\u2019s-in-law to some degree of faith. If anybody was going to be the godly person, you would have thought it was going to be Naomi. Because regrettably what Naomi did\/she says to her daughters-in-law, \u201cGo back to your people\u201d\u2014and then, eventually, in Chapter 1 [of Ruth] is one of the most important phrases in the chapter\u2014\u201cand to your gods.\u201d She was saying, as a Jewish woman, \u201cGod has let me down.\u201d In fact, she eventually says that: \u201cI left Bethlehem full and God\u2019s brought me back empty. Jehovah, the God of Israel, has let me down.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tInterestingly, one of the daughters-in-law, she went back to her people and to her gods\/to the <em>idols<\/em> of Moab. But what is <em>absolutely stunning<\/em> and filled with hope is the remaining daughter-in-law, Ruth, says, \u201cNo.\u201d She makes a statement next that sometimes is used in weddings\u2014and I have to point out to the young couple\u2014\u201cDo you realize the spouse <em>died<\/em> here? I\u2019m not sure this is really appropriate.\u201d [Laughter] It is a <em>beautiful<\/em> statement, where Ruth said, \u201cNo, I\u2019m going to stay by your side. Your people are going to be <em>my<\/em> people and your God is going to be <em>my<\/em> God [Ruth 1:16].\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tShe saw something in her father-in-law; she saw something in her husband, or maybe even her brother-in-law that appealed\u2014or maybe even in Naomi\u2014we don\u2019t know. But something <em>gripped<\/em> young Ruth, where she said, \u201cThe God of heaven is the only God worthy of my trust. Even if that means I\u2019m going to leave my people and my place, that\u2019s my God.\u201d That goes back to what we were saying: we\u2019re not passive victims; we\u2019re active worshippers. That was an act of incredible worship on the part of this young Moabitess woman.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave: <\/strong>How do you do that? Because earlier you were talking about the phrase: \u201cGod has let me down.\u201d I think we\u2019ve all felt that at some point; it\u2019s a universal\u2014again, I can\u2019t say 100 percent\u2014but most of us, at some point, have felt that. Often, we\u2019ve never said it; we\u2019re afraid to say it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> You\u2019re right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> But it\u2019s like, \u201cGod let me down. I really thought\u2026\u201d And yet, Ruth is like, \u201cThat God\/I\u2019m going to worship.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes, Ruth didn\u2019t have access to the level of truth that you and I do.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann: <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> We have the cross; we have the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Listen, a God who would send His only Son, doesn\u2019t let me down. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou asked, \u201cHow?\u201d I think the more I fill my life with the gospel\u2014the more I fill my life with the shed blood of Christ and His amazing grace\u2014the less likely I\u2019m going to be to let a particular trial on a particular day, even if it might be big, cause me to change my view of who this God is. If the only thing He ever did for me was the cross, that\u2019s far more than I deserve. The older I get, and the more I understand my inherent sinfulness, Jesus is the One that I want to worship for sure. I want to be more like Ruth; I want to have that kind of faith. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNaomi says, \u201cListen, let\u2019s go back to Bethlehem.\u201d So now, it\u2019s Naomi, the Jewish mother-in-law, and her Moabitess daughter-in-law. They go back to Bethlehem. We\u2019re still in Chapter 1. [Laughter] What\u2019s fascinating is what happens next because, as they walk into town, some of the women, who would have known Naomi before, they said, \u201cHey, aren\u2019t you, Naomi?\u201d You have to ask yourself, \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t they have recognized her?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s what I believe\u2014and this is just conjecture only\u2014I believe bitterness changes the way you look. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I agree.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> I think you can look at certain people over time: \u201cThat\u2019s a bitter person.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere\u2019s no question, because of what happens next. Naomi says, \u201cDon\u2019t call me Naomi; call me Mara [Ruth 1:20].\u201d In other words, \u201cThe single word that defines my life the most is the word, <em>bitterness<\/em>.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> It\u2019s become her identity.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely, it\u2019s become her identity. Then she says, \u201cGod took me out of this country full and He brought me back empty.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe were talking about Esau in a previous program about how bitterness will make a liar out of you. Just think about what she said\u2014\u201cGod took me out full\u201d?\u2014it was a <em>famine<\/em>. And then think about the other half: \u201cHe brought me back empty.\u201d Who\u2019s right by her side?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Ruth\u2019s like, \u201cHey, what about <em>me<\/em>?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s exactly right! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> I wish\/that\u2019s one of those: \u201cWhen I get to heaven I want to have that conversation, and I want to know what Ruth was thinking at that moment.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> But she was so engulfed in her bitterness that she saw <em>nothing<\/em> but her pain. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> The last thing I\u2019m going to do is be Naomi\u2019s judge.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s not where I want to be at all. But thankfully, the book does not end in Chapter 1; does it? Because then, in Chapter 2, Naomi suggests that Ruth go out and glean. And Ruth\/that\u2019s fascinating that Ruth has enough confidence in the Old Testament Scriptures that she actually does that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen we know what happens; right? All of a sudden, Boaz comes; and what a beautiful picture of grace\/what a beautiful picture of provision. We don\u2019t know all the issues about weights and measurements in the Bible, but when you look at how much barley Boaz provided for Ruth\u2014and what I love about Ruth\u2014remember that first day, Ruth has her lunch. You can see it happening, because she\u2019s been living through a famine; right? All of a sudden, she has food; but then she wraps up the leftovers for Momma. She didn\u2019t become bitter. The Moabitess becomes a woman of faith. She even wraps up the food for her mother-in-law, and she goes back and she tells Naomi what happened. And this is what I love about the story: I think Naomi\u2019s bitter heart started melting right then. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPraise God; there\u2019s hope in this. It\u2019s not like I say, \u201cI\u2019m a bitter person, and I\u2019m going to die that way,\u201d\u2014that is <em>not<\/em> true\u2014a bitter person\u2019s heart can <em>change<\/em>. All of a sudden, Naomi is starting to see the provision of God: \u201cGod\u2019s keeping His promises. God is being good to us. God is providing for us.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen, of course, she comes up with this outlandish plan: \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go down to the threshing floor?\u201d \u201cNaomi, how did we get from being a bitter woman, who has no trust in God, to the threshing floor and just believing in the process that God has placed in His Word to care for widows?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> And I\u2019ve got to come back to this and say, too, \u201cGood for Ruth!\u201d because here\u2019s Naomi, this bitter woman. It would have been so easy to walk away from her. I think it took time for Naomi\u2019s heart to begin to soften; but Ruth continued to love her, to serve her, and to take her <em>advice<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes; and I think there\u2019s a teaching point there, because some of our listeners may say: \u201cListen, I have to live with a bitter person every day, so I\u2019m <em>constantly<\/em> hearing the negativity. I\u2019m <em>constantly<\/em> hearing the doubt. I\u2019m <em>constantly<\/em> hearing the disobedience to the Word of God.\u201d You can still be a Ruth; you can still be a <em>sweet<\/em> person. You can still exercise faith, even when you\u2019re surrounded by people who are bitter.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014or your spouse!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Oh, absolutely. What ends up happening\u2014right?\u2014the threshing floor experiment turned out <em>really<\/em> good; because God is a faithful God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI love the way the book ends, because God gives Boaz and Ruth a baby. What\u2019s fascinating is who\u2019s lap was that baby on when that book was done? It\u2019s not Ruth\u2019s\u2014it\u2019s Momma-in-law\u2014right? Naomi is bouncing; in fact, the women say, \u201cGod gave a baby to Naomi.\u201d They\u2019re saying that right there; it\u2019s like: \u201cWhat?\u201d \u201cWhat?\u201d \u201cWhat?\u201d Then you read the punchline\u2014just like the Bible so often does\u2014the punchline when it gives the genealogy at the end and explains that that little baby was in the line of Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSomebody might say: \u201cWell, maybe God didn\u2019t know what He was doing during the famine,\u201d\u00a0 or \u201cEven maybe God didn\u2019t know what He was doing during\u2026.\u201d \u201cGod doesn\u2019t know,\u201d \u201cGod doesn\u2019t know,\u201d \u201cGod doesn\u2019t know.\u201d Read the <em>final<\/em> pages of the book of Ruth. God knows <em>exactly<\/em> what He was doing, and He designed that so that that baby would be in the line of David and would be in the line of Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou see Naomi; she\u2019s not a bitter woman anymore. We can all picture this happy grandma, bouncing this little baby on her lap, rejoicing in the provision of her God. What that means is a bitter person <em>can<\/em> become a joyful person as we grow in our faith in God and His provision. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> That is such a <em>sweet<\/em> story. It makes me <em>cry<\/em> of thinking of the transformation that happened in the most unlikely way, and through the greatest loss that anyone could experience; and yet, God still comes through when we trust Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Amen.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I think the lie sometimes we believe is: \u201cNaomi could get out of her bitterness because the circumstances became better, and that\u2019s what let her [change].\u201d But it\u2019s not always the case\u2014the circumstances can <em>never<\/em> change, or may not change, or may not become hopeful\u2014you can dig out of bitterness; you can overcome and get to a life of joy. Whenever I preach that simple thought\u2014\u201cTrials make you better or bitter,\u201d\u2014I always said, \u201cThe choice is yours.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> We have a choice. Some people choose bitter; some choose better. The circumstances did <em>not<\/em> change, but there\u2019s a joy that fills [their] heart because of a choice they make; right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes; and the great thing is that, if we\u2019re Christians, we\u2019re <em>in<\/em> Christ. So it\u2019s not a choice I have to make by my own strength, my own wisdom, my own power. In Christ, I can choose to do, and think, and believe, and want what <em>He<\/em> desires in the moment. There\u2019s a <em>power<\/em> inside of me, because of who I am in Christ, that helps me choose well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I do think\u2014tell me if I\u2019m right or wrong\u2014when you\u2019re Naomi\/when you\u2019re living in bitterness, the voices you\u2019re listening to are <em>critical<\/em>. You need Ruth in your life. You need to choose them and push away the other bitter\/the people, who are saying, \u201cYes, you should be in the\u2026\u201d You\u2019ve got to stop listening to those voices, because they\u2019re going to influence where you end up.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Well, this is a hard thing; but one of the bitter voices you often need to stop listening to is your <em>own<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> There we go.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Many times, my hardest counselee is the guy I see in the mirror in the morning\u2014so I need to stop listening to me if I\u2019m saying words to myself that are not informed by the Word of God\u2014many times, they\u2019re lies; they\u2019re twisted. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to surround myself with godly people; why it\u2019s so important to be in the Lord\u2019s house on the Lord\u2019s Day; that\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to check whatever it is I\u2019m <em>thinking<\/em> with the truth of the Word of God; to check whatever I\u2019m <em>wanting<\/em> with the principles of Scripture.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSometimes, I need to tell myself to be quiet. Since I\u2019m in a radio format, I\u2019ll just use the phrase, \u201cBe quiet.\u201d I can think of other things I really need to tell myself, from time to time, or else I\u2019m just going to lead my <em>own self<\/em> down the path of bitterness.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes, it\u2019s the self-talk\/the negative that\u2019s in there.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I think, too, I\u2019ve just talked to two women this week, where their husband was caught in an affair; and they\u2019re just struggling with bitterness. I\u2019m thinking of another woman that I just talked to whose husband continues to battle, and he\u2019s trying to win over pornography. I was talking to her, and just <em>feeling<\/em> her heart become so bitter, like, \u201cHow many times do I need to forgive this man?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think, every single day, we\u2019re all faced with those decisions and the voices that we hear in our head. I think it\u2019s really important to take those thoughts captive. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely, absolutely. You know, even when you give those little vignettes\u2014I mean, our hearts break\u2014that, this side of heaven, men and women are facing. We\u2019re not minimizing the pain in any way, shape, or form; but we\u2019re saying: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to determine the outcome. Christ is more powerful than that.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> In your <em>own<\/em> life, you\u2019ve mentioned it a couple times, the journey to overcome bitterness. I know this isn\u2019t an autobiography book [Laughter]; but you\u2019ve, obviously, journeyed through that. Do you <em>still today<\/em> find it creeping in? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely; I think there\u2019s the opportunity for it every day. All of us travel, so that means it won\u2019t be long before I\u2019ll be on another airplane in another airport. Anybody who travels understands it doesn\u2019t always go\/I mean, who knows what the rest of the day is going to hold when it comes to airline travel. We\u2019ve also been in those situations and watched bitter people make situations really bad. But the other side of it is, we\u2019ve been on airplanes, or in that situation, where you can see somebody have the right kind of response\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014the beautiful grace-givers.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely; absolutely! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo do I face it? Absolutely; I do, as an imperfect man in an imperfect world; yes! But praise God; we\u2019ve got a way to overcome it so that we\u2019re not bitter people. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Can I ask you to do this? I\u2019m thinking of a listener that\u2019s just <em>stuck<\/em>. They\u2019ve been listening through all these programs with you and their still just like, \u201cI just don\u2019t know how to get out of the muck\/the mud of this bitterness I\u2019m in.\u201d Could you pray for them? I\u2019d love to hear you just pray that they could find a way to overcome bitterness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen: <\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFather in heaven, I thank You for every person who is listening to this prayer and though, this side of heaven, I will not know most of them, You know <em>each<\/em> person who is listening right now. You know <em>every<\/em> detail about their life; You even know the number of hairs on their head. Father, we thank You for Your sovereignty; and we thank you for being a <em>good<\/em> Father. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLord, I would pray for the person, who is stuck in bitterness right now. Some, who don\u2019t know Christ as Savior and Lord, I pray that they would admit their need, even in this hard time, and would choose to trust Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLord, for those who would say that they\u2019re Christians, but that they\u2019re just stuck, Father, some\/they need to lament. I pray that they would learn the discipline of coming to You directly and authentically and speaking to You. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOthers have a situation in their life where they need to go and confront another person, but they\u2019ve not done it. Lord, I pray that You would allow them to bring others around their life that would give them the direction and the courage to take that step. I pray\u2014though it\u2019s totally in Your hands\u2014I pray that, in many cases, there would be genuine repentance and true forgiveness as a result. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLord, though it\u2019s hard, I pray that You would help all of us to think about the times that we are bitter; but it really has to do with some sin that we committed, and we\u2019ve compounded it because we\u2019ve lied about it. Lord, that\u2019s <em>so<\/em> hard to think about; but where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. We thank You that You give us forgiveness, even when we have sinned. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd Lord we thank You, ultimately, that Jesus is a sweet, sweet Savior. I pray that the more we come to love Him and know Him, the less room there is in our heart for even a <em>hint<\/em> of a root of bitterness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe pray these things, worshipping You for making it possible in Christ\u2019s name; amen.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Because we live in a fallen world, we will <em>always<\/em> have opportunities to deal with resentment, bitterness, un-forgiveness\u2014that\u2019s going to be a part of life\u2014but let\u2019s purpose to be people who don\u2019t allow bitterness to take hold in our hearts\/people who can release bitterness as soon as we feel it coming our way. That\u2019s really what Stephen Viars was talking about with Dave and Ann Wilson here today: \u201cHow can we be people who are not overcome by bitterness?\u2014who are characterized by love, and joy, and peace, and patience, and kindness, and gentleness, all of the things we know about from the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, Chapter 5. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tStephen Viars\u2019 book, <em>Overcoming Bitterness <\/em>is so helpful in helping us, not only deal with specific areas where we may be harboring resentment toward someone else, but also in helping us be the kind of people who are not bitter people, where that doesn\u2019t become characteristic of us. We\u2019ve got copies of the book in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center. You can go online to FamilyLifeToday.com to request your copy, or call to order at 1-800-FL-TODAY. Again, the title of the book is <em>Overcoming Bitterness<\/em> by Stephen Viars. Order online at FamilyLifeToday.com, or call 1-800-358-6329; that\u2019s 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life and then the word, \u201cTODAY,\u201d to get your copy. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>\u00a0<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, I wanted to let you know about a special podcast miniseries that we\u2019ve developed, here, at FamilyLife. It\u2019s called \u201cPsalms for Christmastime\u201d; and it features Dane Ortlund, who was a guest with us last week on <em>FamilyLife<\/em> <em>Today<\/em>. Dane has written a new book called <em>In the Lord I Take Refuge<\/em>. It\u2019s 150 devotions from the book of Psalms, and it\u2019s a book we\u2019re making available here to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> listeners, those of you who can help this ministry with a yearend donation. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAs many of you know, the last few weeks of every year are a significant time for a ministry like ours. Yearend donations make up about 40 percent of our operating budget for the year ahead, so you\u2019re helping us determine just how effective this ministry is going to be able to be in 2022 when you make a yearend donation. The good news is every donation that\u2019s being made right now is being matched, dollar for dollar. We\u2019ve got a matching-gift fund that\u2019s $1.5 million. Your donation, whatever it is, frees up money from that matching-gift fund; your donation is matched. We\u2019re excited about that opportunity. Hope to hear from many listeners so we can take full advantage of that matching-gift opportunity. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAgain, when you make a donation, we\u2019ll send you a copy of Dane Ortlund\u2019s new book, <em>In the Lord I Take Refuge<\/em>, the devotional book from the Psalms, along with a deck of playing cards that will help you start conversations. There\u2019s a conversation starter on each playing card. These are our thank-you gifts to you when you make a yearend donation. You can donate online at FamilyLife Today.com, or call 1-800-FL-TODAY to donate. Thanks, in advance, for your support. Please do pray for us that we\u2019ll be able to take full advantage of this matching-gift opportunity here over the next few weeks. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe hope you can join us tomorrow. We\u2019ve going to hear about what we do in a marriage when we\u2019re going through a tough season, because all of us go through tough seasons. It doesn\u2019t matter who you are, circumstances are going to come your way that are going to <em>test<\/em> your resolve in marriage. Dave and Meg Robbins are going to join us\u2014David\u2019s the president of FamilyLife\u2014and talk about how we navigate tough seasons in marriage. I hope you can join us for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOn behalf our hosts Dave and Ann Wilson, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We\u2019ll see you back next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife; a Cru<sup>\u00ae <\/sup>Ministry. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelping you pursue the relationships that matter most.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2021 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>"],"_seopress_titles_title":[""],"_seopress_titles_desc":[""],"_seopress_robots_index":[""],"duration":["00:27:37"],"show_notes":[""],"_thumbnail_id":["294104"],"filesize":["25.29M"],"filesize_raw":["26520769"],"_uag_css_file_name":["uag-css-307319.css"],"_uag_js_file_name":["uag-js-307319.js"],"_uag_page_assets":["a:9:{s:3:\"css\";s:82560:\".wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape-top svg{width: calc( 100% + 1.3px );}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape.uagb-container__shape-top .uagb-container__shape-fill{fill: rgba(51,51,51,1);}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape-bottom svg{width: calc( 100% + 1.3px );}.wp-block-uagb-container.uagb-block-e11dbe9f .uagb-container__shape.uagb-container__shape-bottom 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with a bitter person can feel exhausting, defeating. How can you love them without losing your happiness...or sanity? Author Stephen Viars weighs in.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylife.com\/fl2021-12-08.pdf","transcript_content":"<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Okay, one of my big theme ideas in 30 years of preaching had something to do with bitterness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Oh, yes; memorable.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Let\u2019s see if you even know. Does the wife of the pastor listen to the pastor\u2019s sermons?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Oh, no!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>, where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most. I\u2019m Ann Wilson.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> And I\u2019m Dave Wilson, and you can find us at FamilyLifeToday.com or on our FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> app.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> One of my big theme ideas in 30 years of preaching\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Does it begin with the word, \u201cpain\u201d?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave: <\/strong>You can start with pain.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u201cPain will make you\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014\u201ccan make you\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014\u201cbetter or bitter.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave: <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Am I right?! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes, something like that. It\u2019s usually trials or adversity\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014trials; that\u2019s it!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014depends what the theme is that week. But you know valleys\u2014but really, pain\/trials\u2014you have a choice; it\u2019s going to be part of your life one way or another.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Pain and trials will be a part of <em>all<\/em> of our lives. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> You can allow God to use it and you become better, or you become bitter. Whenever I preach on that, and I\u2019ve done it many times over the years, I\u2019ll ask the audience: \u201cDo you know more bitter people or do you know more better people?\u201d guess what the answer <em>always<\/em> is.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u201cBitter.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave<\/strong>: \u201cMore bitter.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s interesting.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> People <em>don\u2019t<\/em> handle bitterness well. It could be the <em>exact<\/em> same trial in one person; you\u2019re like, \u201cHow are they <em>better<\/em>? How are they\u2026?\u201d And this [other] person went through the same thing, and you don\u2019t even want to be <em>near<\/em> them: and they\u2019re mad at their spouse, they\u2019re mad at their life; they\u2019re mad at God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBitterness is a part of all of our lives. We\u2019ve got Steve Viars back with us today. He wrote a book called <em>Overcoming Bitterness<\/em>. Every person wants to overcome bitterness and actually get from hurt to a life filled with joy.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Steve\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014welcome back. Glad to have you here. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> It\u2019s really been a privilege talking with you folks.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Your insights on this topic\/I mean, they\u2019re life-changing. It isn\u2019t like, \u201cOh, this is something some people deal with,\u201d\u2014we <em>all<\/em> [do]. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI told you before, when I was reading your book, I\u2019m like, \u201cOh, my goodness; I thought I was done\u2014[Laughter]\u2014with the bitterness in my life.\u201d And it rose up, like, \u201cOh, there\u2019s triggers that still come to overcome it.\u201d We\u2019ve got to keep talking about: \u201cHow we do we get through it?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOne of the things I love about your book\u2014and I love about you as a pastor in Indiana\u2014Faith Church; right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes, in Lafayette.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> \u2014Lafayette, Indiana. You\u2019re married with three kids and four grandkids, so you know life and carrying all that as well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou\u2019re a biblical scholar. I <em>love<\/em> the way you use the Word of God to say: \u201cThe answers are here; let\u2019s walk through.\u201d I think it would be fun today to walk through a story in Scripture that gives us a model of: \u201cHow do we overcome bitterness?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> One of the stories is the story of Naomi in the book of Ruth. It starts in a very hard place, because she and her husband and their two sons are facing a <em>famine<\/em>; so their family decides to go to Moab. Then the sons marry Moabitess women. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen the Scripture says\u2014and it\u2019s coming in rapid-fire succession because all of this happens in Chapter 1\u2014that both Naomi\u2019s husband and both of her sons died. I realize I might be talking to one of your listeners today, and they know the pain of death; so I\u2019m not just telling a story without thinking. I\u2019m undoubtedly bringing up all sorts of hurt and memories for so many who have experienced death in all sorts of ways.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, you have Naomi.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014which I\u2019m just going to say, as a woman, to lose both of your children and your husband, you are left desolate. This would be the lowest of lows that a person could be.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Well, especially in that culture. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann: <\/strong>Exactly.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen: <\/strong>You talk about being vulnerable; you talk about being in a position of <em>danger<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s interesting is Naomi\u2014she was the Jewish woman\u2014so she was the one of those who were left that <em>should<\/em> have been leading her daughter\u2019s-in-law to some degree of faith. If anybody was going to be the godly person, you would have thought it was going to be Naomi. Because regrettably what Naomi did\/she says to her daughters-in-law, \u201cGo back to your people\u201d\u2014and then, eventually, in Chapter 1 [of Ruth] is one of the most important phrases in the chapter\u2014\u201cand to your gods.\u201d She was saying, as a Jewish woman, \u201cGod has let me down.\u201d In fact, she eventually says that: \u201cI left Bethlehem full and God\u2019s brought me back empty. Jehovah, the God of Israel, has let me down.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tInterestingly, one of the daughters-in-law, she went back to her people and to her gods\/to the <em>idols<\/em> of Moab. But what is <em>absolutely stunning<\/em> and filled with hope is the remaining daughter-in-law, Ruth, says, \u201cNo.\u201d She makes a statement next that sometimes is used in weddings\u2014and I have to point out to the young couple\u2014\u201cDo you realize the spouse <em>died<\/em> here? I\u2019m not sure this is really appropriate.\u201d [Laughter] It is a <em>beautiful<\/em> statement, where Ruth said, \u201cNo, I\u2019m going to stay by your side. Your people are going to be <em>my<\/em> people and your God is going to be <em>my<\/em> God [Ruth 1:16].\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tShe saw something in her father-in-law; she saw something in her husband, or maybe even her brother-in-law that appealed\u2014or maybe even in Naomi\u2014we don\u2019t know. But something <em>gripped<\/em> young Ruth, where she said, \u201cThe God of heaven is the only God worthy of my trust. Even if that means I\u2019m going to leave my people and my place, that\u2019s my God.\u201d That goes back to what we were saying: we\u2019re not passive victims; we\u2019re active worshippers. That was an act of incredible worship on the part of this young Moabitess woman.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave: <\/strong>How do you do that? Because earlier you were talking about the phrase: \u201cGod has let me down.\u201d I think we\u2019ve all felt that at some point; it\u2019s a universal\u2014again, I can\u2019t say 100 percent\u2014but most of us, at some point, have felt that. Often, we\u2019ve never said it; we\u2019re afraid to say it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> You\u2019re right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> But it\u2019s like, \u201cGod let me down. I really thought\u2026\u201d And yet, Ruth is like, \u201cThat God\/I\u2019m going to worship.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes, Ruth didn\u2019t have access to the level of truth that you and I do.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann: <\/strong>Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> We have the cross; we have the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Listen, a God who would send His only Son, doesn\u2019t let me down. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou asked, \u201cHow?\u201d I think the more I fill my life with the gospel\u2014the more I fill my life with the shed blood of Christ and His amazing grace\u2014the less likely I\u2019m going to be to let a particular trial on a particular day, even if it might be big, cause me to change my view of who this God is. If the only thing He ever did for me was the cross, that\u2019s far more than I deserve. The older I get, and the more I understand my inherent sinfulness, Jesus is the One that I want to worship for sure. I want to be more like Ruth; I want to have that kind of faith. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNaomi says, \u201cListen, let\u2019s go back to Bethlehem.\u201d So now, it\u2019s Naomi, the Jewish mother-in-law, and her Moabitess daughter-in-law. They go back to Bethlehem. We\u2019re still in Chapter 1. [Laughter] What\u2019s fascinating is what happens next because, as they walk into town, some of the women, who would have known Naomi before, they said, \u201cHey, aren\u2019t you, Naomi?\u201d You have to ask yourself, \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t they have recognized her?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHere\u2019s what I believe\u2014and this is just conjecture only\u2014I believe bitterness changes the way you look. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I agree.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> I think you can look at certain people over time: \u201cThat\u2019s a bitter person.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere\u2019s no question, because of what happens next. Naomi says, \u201cDon\u2019t call me Naomi; call me Mara [Ruth 1:20].\u201d In other words, \u201cThe single word that defines my life the most is the word, <em>bitterness<\/em>.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> It\u2019s become her identity.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely, it\u2019s become her identity. Then she says, \u201cGod took me out of this country full and He brought me back empty.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe were talking about Esau in a previous program about how bitterness will make a liar out of you. Just think about what she said\u2014\u201cGod took me out full\u201d?\u2014it was a <em>famine<\/em>. And then think about the other half: \u201cHe brought me back empty.\u201d Who\u2019s right by her side?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Ruth\u2019s like, \u201cHey, what about <em>me<\/em>?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s exactly right! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> I wish\/that\u2019s one of those: \u201cWhen I get to heaven I want to have that conversation, and I want to know what Ruth was thinking at that moment.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> But she was so engulfed in her bitterness that she saw <em>nothing<\/em> but her pain. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> The last thing I\u2019m going to do is be Naomi\u2019s judge.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s not where I want to be at all. But thankfully, the book does not end in Chapter 1; does it? Because then, in Chapter 2, Naomi suggests that Ruth go out and glean. And Ruth\/that\u2019s fascinating that Ruth has enough confidence in the Old Testament Scriptures that she actually does that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen we know what happens; right? All of a sudden, Boaz comes; and what a beautiful picture of grace\/what a beautiful picture of provision. We don\u2019t know all the issues about weights and measurements in the Bible, but when you look at how much barley Boaz provided for Ruth\u2014and what I love about Ruth\u2014remember that first day, Ruth has her lunch. You can see it happening, because she\u2019s been living through a famine; right? All of a sudden, she has food; but then she wraps up the leftovers for Momma. She didn\u2019t become bitter. The Moabitess becomes a woman of faith. She even wraps up the food for her mother-in-law, and she goes back and she tells Naomi what happened. And this is what I love about the story: I think Naomi\u2019s bitter heart started melting right then. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tPraise God; there\u2019s hope in this. It\u2019s not like I say, \u201cI\u2019m a bitter person, and I\u2019m going to die that way,\u201d\u2014that is <em>not<\/em> true\u2014a bitter person\u2019s heart can <em>change<\/em>. All of a sudden, Naomi is starting to see the provision of God: \u201cGod\u2019s keeping His promises. God is being good to us. God is providing for us.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThen, of course, she comes up with this outlandish plan: \u201cWhy don\u2019t you go down to the threshing floor?\u201d \u201cNaomi, how did we get from being a bitter woman, who has no trust in God, to the threshing floor and just believing in the process that God has placed in His Word to care for widows?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> And I\u2019ve got to come back to this and say, too, \u201cGood for Ruth!\u201d because here\u2019s Naomi, this bitter woman. It would have been so easy to walk away from her. I think it took time for Naomi\u2019s heart to begin to soften; but Ruth continued to love her, to serve her, and to take her <em>advice<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes; and I think there\u2019s a teaching point there, because some of our listeners may say: \u201cListen, I have to live with a bitter person every day, so I\u2019m <em>constantly<\/em> hearing the negativity. I\u2019m <em>constantly<\/em> hearing the doubt. I\u2019m <em>constantly<\/em> hearing the disobedience to the Word of God.\u201d You can still be a Ruth; you can still be a <em>sweet<\/em> person. You can still exercise faith, even when you\u2019re surrounded by people who are bitter.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014or your spouse!\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Oh, absolutely. What ends up happening\u2014right?\u2014the threshing floor experiment turned out <em>really<\/em> good; because God is a faithful God. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI love the way the book ends, because God gives Boaz and Ruth a baby. What\u2019s fascinating is who\u2019s lap was that baby on when that book was done? It\u2019s not Ruth\u2019s\u2014it\u2019s Momma-in-law\u2014right? Naomi is bouncing; in fact, the women say, \u201cGod gave a baby to Naomi.\u201d They\u2019re saying that right there; it\u2019s like: \u201cWhat?\u201d \u201cWhat?\u201d \u201cWhat?\u201d Then you read the punchline\u2014just like the Bible so often does\u2014the punchline when it gives the genealogy at the end and explains that that little baby was in the line of Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSomebody might say: \u201cWell, maybe God didn\u2019t know what He was doing during the famine,\u201d\u00a0 or \u201cEven maybe God didn\u2019t know what He was doing during\u2026.\u201d \u201cGod doesn\u2019t know,\u201d \u201cGod doesn\u2019t know,\u201d \u201cGod doesn\u2019t know.\u201d Read the <em>final<\/em> pages of the book of Ruth. God knows <em>exactly<\/em> what He was doing, and He designed that so that that baby would be in the line of David and would be in the line of Christ. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tYou see Naomi; she\u2019s not a bitter woman anymore. We can all picture this happy grandma, bouncing this little baby on her lap, rejoicing in the provision of her God. What that means is a bitter person <em>can<\/em> become a joyful person as we grow in our faith in God and His provision. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> That is such a <em>sweet<\/em> story. It makes me <em>cry<\/em> of thinking of the transformation that happened in the most unlikely way, and through the greatest loss that anyone could experience; and yet, God still comes through when we trust Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Amen.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I think the lie sometimes we believe is: \u201cNaomi could get out of her bitterness because the circumstances became better, and that\u2019s what let her [change].\u201d But it\u2019s not always the case\u2014the circumstances can <em>never<\/em> change, or may not change, or may not become hopeful\u2014you can dig out of bitterness; you can overcome and get to a life of joy. Whenever I preach that simple thought\u2014\u201cTrials make you better or bitter,\u201d\u2014I always said, \u201cThe choice is yours.\u201d\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> That\u2019s right. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> We have a choice. Some people choose bitter; some choose better. The circumstances did <em>not<\/em> change, but there\u2019s a joy that fills [their] heart because of a choice they make; right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Yes; and the great thing is that, if we\u2019re Christians, we\u2019re <em>in<\/em> Christ. So it\u2019s not a choice I have to make by my own strength, my own wisdom, my own power. In Christ, I can choose to do, and think, and believe, and want what <em>He<\/em> desires in the moment. There\u2019s a <em>power<\/em> inside of me, because of who I am in Christ, that helps me choose well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> I do think\u2014tell me if I\u2019m right or wrong\u2014when you\u2019re Naomi\/when you\u2019re living in bitterness, the voices you\u2019re listening to are <em>critical<\/em>. You need Ruth in your life. You need to choose them and push away the other bitter\/the people, who are saying, \u201cYes, you should be in the\u2026\u201d You\u2019ve got to stop listening to those voices, because they\u2019re going to influence where you end up.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Well, this is a hard thing; but one of the bitter voices you often need to stop listening to is your <em>own<\/em>.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> There we go.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Many times, my hardest counselee is the guy I see in the mirror in the morning\u2014so I need to stop listening to me if I\u2019m saying words to myself that are not informed by the Word of God\u2014many times, they\u2019re lies; they\u2019re twisted. That\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to surround myself with godly people; why it\u2019s so important to be in the Lord\u2019s house on the Lord\u2019s Day; that\u2019s why it\u2019s so important to check whatever it is I\u2019m <em>thinking<\/em> with the truth of the Word of God; to check whatever I\u2019m <em>wanting<\/em> with the principles of Scripture.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSometimes, I need to tell myself to be quiet. Since I\u2019m in a radio format, I\u2019ll just use the phrase, \u201cBe quiet.\u201d I can think of other things I really need to tell myself, from time to time, or else I\u2019m just going to lead my <em>own self<\/em> down the path of bitterness.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Yes, it\u2019s the self-talk\/the negative that\u2019s in there.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> I think, too, I\u2019ve just talked to two women this week, where their husband was caught in an affair; and they\u2019re just struggling with bitterness. I\u2019m thinking of another woman that I just talked to whose husband continues to battle, and he\u2019s trying to win over pornography. I was talking to her, and just <em>feeling<\/em> her heart become so bitter, like, \u201cHow many times do I need to forgive this man?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think, every single day, we\u2019re all faced with those decisions and the voices that we hear in our head. I think it\u2019s really important to take those thoughts captive. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely, absolutely. You know, even when you give those little vignettes\u2014I mean, our hearts break\u2014that, this side of heaven, men and women are facing. We\u2019re not minimizing the pain in any way, shape, or form; but we\u2019re saying: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to determine the outcome. Christ is more powerful than that.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> In your <em>own<\/em> life, you\u2019ve mentioned it a couple times, the journey to overcome bitterness. I know this isn\u2019t an autobiography book [Laughter]; but you\u2019ve, obviously, journeyed through that. Do you <em>still today<\/em> find it creeping in? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely; I think there\u2019s the opportunity for it every day. All of us travel, so that means it won\u2019t be long before I\u2019ll be on another airplane in another airport. Anybody who travels understands it doesn\u2019t always go\/I mean, who knows what the rest of the day is going to hold when it comes to airline travel. We\u2019ve also been in those situations and watched bitter people make situations really bad. But the other side of it is, we\u2019ve been on airplanes, or in that situation, where you can see somebody have the right kind of response\u2014\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> \u2014the beautiful grace-givers.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen:<\/strong> Absolutely; absolutely! \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo do I face it? Absolutely; I do, as an imperfect man in an imperfect world; yes! But praise God; we\u2019ve got a way to overcome it so that we\u2019re not bitter people. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dave:<\/strong> Can I ask you to do this? I\u2019m thinking of a listener that\u2019s just <em>stuck<\/em>. They\u2019ve been listening through all these programs with you and their still just like, \u201cI just don\u2019t know how to get out of the muck\/the mud of this bitterness I\u2019m in.\u201d Could you pray for them? I\u2019d love to hear you just pray that they could find a way to overcome bitterness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Stephen: <\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFather in heaven, I thank You for every person who is listening to this prayer and though, this side of heaven, I will not know most of them, You know <em>each<\/em> person who is listening right now. You know <em>every<\/em> detail about their life; You even know the number of hairs on their head. Father, we thank You for Your sovereignty; and we thank you for being a <em>good<\/em> Father. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLord, I would pray for the person, who is stuck in bitterness right now. Some, who don\u2019t know Christ as Savior and Lord, I pray that they would admit their need, even in this hard time, and would choose to trust Him. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLord, for those who would say that they\u2019re Christians, but that they\u2019re just stuck, Father, some\/they need to lament. I pray that they would learn the discipline of coming to You directly and authentically and speaking to You. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOthers have a situation in their life where they need to go and confront another person, but they\u2019ve not done it. Lord, I pray that You would allow them to bring others around their life that would give them the direction and the courage to take that step. I pray\u2014though it\u2019s totally in Your hands\u2014I pray that, in many cases, there would be genuine repentance and true forgiveness as a result. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tLord, though it\u2019s hard, I pray that You would help all of us to think about the times that we are bitter; but it really has to do with some sin that we committed, and we\u2019ve compounded it because we\u2019ve lied about it. Lord, that\u2019s <em>so<\/em> hard to think about; but where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. We thank You that You give us forgiveness, even when we have sinned. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd Lord we thank You, ultimately, that Jesus is a sweet, sweet Savior. I pray that the more we come to love Him and know Him, the less room there is in our heart for even a <em>hint<\/em> of a root of bitterness. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe pray these things, worshipping You for making it possible in Christ\u2019s name; amen.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Ann:<\/strong> Amen. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Because we live in a fallen world, we will <em>always<\/em> have opportunities to deal with resentment, bitterness, un-forgiveness\u2014that\u2019s going to be a part of life\u2014but let\u2019s purpose to be people who don\u2019t allow bitterness to take hold in our hearts\/people who can release bitterness as soon as we feel it coming our way. That\u2019s really what Stephen Viars was talking about with Dave and Ann Wilson here today: \u201cHow can we be people who are not overcome by bitterness?\u2014who are characterized by love, and joy, and peace, and patience, and kindness, and gentleness, all of the things we know about from the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, Chapter 5. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tStephen Viars\u2019 book, <em>Overcoming Bitterness <\/em>is so helpful in helping us, not only deal with specific areas where we may be harboring resentment toward someone else, but also in helping us be the kind of people who are not bitter people, where that doesn\u2019t become characteristic of us. We\u2019ve got copies of the book in our <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> Resource Center. You can go online to FamilyLifeToday.com to request your copy, or call to order at 1-800-FL-TODAY. Again, the title of the book is <em>Overcoming Bitterness<\/em> by Stephen Viars. Order online at FamilyLifeToday.com, or call 1-800-358-6329; that\u2019s 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life and then the word, \u201cTODAY,\u201d to get your copy. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>\u00a0<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, I wanted to let you know about a special podcast miniseries that we\u2019ve developed, here, at FamilyLife. It\u2019s called \u201cPsalms for Christmastime\u201d; and it features Dane Ortlund, who was a guest with us last week on <em>FamilyLife<\/em> <em>Today<\/em>. Dane has written a new book called <em>In the Lord I Take Refuge<\/em>. It\u2019s 150 devotions from the book of Psalms, and it\u2019s a book we\u2019re making available here to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> listeners, those of you who can help this ministry with a yearend donation. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAs many of you know, the last few weeks of every year are a significant time for a ministry like ours. Yearend donations make up about 40 percent of our operating budget for the year ahead, so you\u2019re helping us determine just how effective this ministry is going to be able to be in 2022 when you make a yearend donation. The good news is every donation that\u2019s being made right now is being matched, dollar for dollar. We\u2019ve got a matching-gift fund that\u2019s $1.5 million. Your donation, whatever it is, frees up money from that matching-gift fund; your donation is matched. We\u2019re excited about that opportunity. Hope to hear from many listeners so we can take full advantage of that matching-gift opportunity. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAgain, when you make a donation, we\u2019ll send you a copy of Dane Ortlund\u2019s new book, <em>In the Lord I Take Refuge<\/em>, the devotional book from the Psalms, along with a deck of playing cards that will help you start conversations. There\u2019s a conversation starter on each playing card. These are our thank-you gifts to you when you make a yearend donation. You can donate online at FamilyLife Today.com, or call 1-800-FL-TODAY to donate. Thanks, in advance, for your support. Please do pray for us that we\u2019ll be able to take full advantage of this matching-gift opportunity here over the next few weeks. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe hope you can join us tomorrow. We\u2019ve going to hear about what we do in a marriage when we\u2019re going through a tough season, because all of us go through tough seasons. It doesn\u2019t matter who you are, circumstances are going to come your way that are going to <em>test<\/em> your resolve in marriage. Dave and Meg Robbins are going to join us\u2014David\u2019s the president of FamilyLife\u2014and talk about how we navigate tough seasons in marriage. I hope you can join us for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOn behalf our hosts Dave and Ann Wilson, I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We\u2019ll see you back next time for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife; a Cru<sup>\u00ae <\/sup>Ministry. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelping you pursue the relationships that matter most.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2021 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/307319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=307319"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=307319"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=307319"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=307319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}