Have you ever seen a frying pan after cooking some bacon or a greasy hamburger what happens to the grease after several hours still sitting in the pan? The grease turns hard and thick, but oh how delicious was the bacon or burger you just ate.
Temptation can be like this when we look and desire something or someone, in this case the smell of bacon only to find out that the trap of lust was not as good as it appeared. In other words, maybe we were deceived and didn’t realize it until we crossed that boundary and are now paying the price.
King David, Samson, and even Judas Iscariot, payed for their desires of lust and greed. David’s house and family became a mess and extremely dysfunctional. Samson was bound and his eyes were gouged out, and he was made a mockery due to his lust after Delilah. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for a lousy 30 pieces of silver which he eventually regretted and threw the coins back at the religious Sanhedrin and ended up committing suicide.
When a heart becomes hard like stone it can become bitter. The root of bitterness can make us sick and block our relationship with God.
“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 NLT
Bitterness or resentment can make us sick. It makes us sick both spiritually and even physically. Notice the root of bitterness can be so subtle just like the power of temptation. Unforgiveness creates such a barrier and the longer we hold it in, the harder our heart becomes.
Notice how God responds with his love toward us when we ask Him to forgive us?
I will give them (Israel) an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 11:19 NIV
The Lord removes our heart of stone or idols we have hid deep within our heart, when we ask for forgiveness and repent which means turning away from our downfalls.
He puts His Spirit in our hearts to have a new relationship with Him and His son Jesus Christ.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
The key to healing and to experience God’s love and presence is to release all your bitterness, anger, lust, envy, unforgiveness to Him. To acknowledge and take responsibility for our own actions, whether we have been violated or not.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT
It was over 40 years ago today at age 18, January 26, 1981 that I found peace with the Lord Jesus Christ. He melted my hard, stony, stubborn heart like that pan of grease and put His Spirit and love in my heart and life. I have never been the same and I am grateful for God’s grace each day.
But for the grace of God there go I or any of us for that matter!
Whatever you may be holding onto and preventing you from receiving healing and forgiveness leave it into the Lord’ s hands and allow Him to do the work in your life.
The Watering Hole Journey 