Over the years of  pastoring and working with people who are in the process of destroying all the joy possible in their own life by the choices they are making, I have come to the conclusion that bitterness is the biggest, worst, baddest sin their is. Bitterness is simply the failure to forgive others quickly for the offenses they commit against us. When others hurt our feelings, violate our rights, fail to honor us, take or damage what is ours, are rude, mean, gossip and slander us, the result is we get angry, hurt, offended, wounded, and sad. When we feel deep pain from another person’s words or actions the right response is, “I choose to forgive them because Jesus has forgiven me of everything”. If feelings or thoughts of resentment pop into our mind again then respond with the same prayer and also ask Jesus for help. If the offense is particularly ugly and getting over the bitterness is slow adding a prayer for the person, asking God to bless them will help accelerate the healing, and even choosing to do an act of kindness for them. Many people dwell on the hurt and the wrong done to them and bitterness grows. When we don’t forgive others quickly God doesn’t forgive us and a whole long list,of,consequences kick in and our life becomes devoid of all joy. A very serious consequence according to Matthew 18 is that God allows demons access to our life to make us miserable. So many people will say they aren’t bitter and have forgiven another person, but it is very obvious that they have not by the way they talk about them, treat them, and dishonor them.  Bitterness is the most self distructive choice we can make in life. Marriage problems and divorce are sad but the resulting bitterness that stays for years is like poison.