Bitterness and Deceit: Two Dangers Lurking in the Heart

The heart is the deepest part of who we are. It is like a great river that surrounds a city and becomes the source of life for its inhabitants. If its flow is polluted, sooner or later, the people of that city will feel its harmful effects. So it is with human beings: the heart is the center of life. Whatever is in the heart will show in our words, thoughts, and actions.

Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. – Proverbs 4:23

The Bible says that we must guard our hearts with full vigilance. Therefore, let us protect our hearts from these two dangerous things.

Danger to the Heart 1: Deceitfulness

The heart is deceitful above all things, and hardened: who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17:9 

The human heart is deceitful and can grow hard before we realize it. Even the serpent, which is called the most cunning of creatures, (2 Corinthians 11:3), cannot outmatch the heart's deceitfulness!

But wanting to justify himself, the man said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" – Luke 10:29 

On one occasion, an expert in the law intended to test Jesus (Luke 10:25-29). He asked how to inherit eternal life. When Jesus asked in return what was written in the Law, he was able to answer it. Yet when Jesus told him that this was what he must do, this expert in the law tried to justify himself by saying, “Who is my neighbor?”

Did this expert in the law not understand the meaning of “your neighbor”? He was a scholar who knew the Law by heart; it is impossible that he did not understand such a simple concept. Yet he argued with words because he did not want to acknowledge the truth.

When you know what is right and wrong, but try to justify your actions or avoid what is right, it means that basically you do not want to repent—that is deceitfulness.

The human heart is clever but full of deceit. Usually you do not realize it until that deceitfulness makes you stumble, and somehow, your heart has become hardened.

Do not let us be deceived by our own hearts. No one is immune to sin, and that includes deceitfulness.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall! – 1 Corinthians 10:12 Make a Habit of Examining Your Heart Check your heart by using the (checklist) below. Signs of deceitfulness include:

• always wanting to look good, telling only the good things about yourself
• finding it hard to admit your mistakes, and instead trying to cover them with self-made arguments
• always justifying thoughts and actions that are clearly wrong and contrary to God's Word
• being two-faced, appearing godly in church, but playing with sin outside

Do not take the signs above lightly. Deal immediately with everything that risks polluting your heart. Deceitfulness will make you blind and reckless, no longer able to see the truth as it really is.

Overcome the deceitfulness of the heart by:

• Be yourself, honestly, just as you are, with all your strengths and weaknesses The goal is that the bad things in you can be corrected quickly, so that you may become a better person (Proverbs 28:13).
• Admit when you are wrong, and learn from those mistakes If there is something better, why not simply accept it and do it? After all, you are the one who will enjoy the benefit (Leviticus 5:5).
• Cross-check (crosscheck) your thoughts and actions Remove whatever is contrary to God's teaching, and do what is good and right. In that way, you will not be hounded by guilt and your life will be more at peace (Proverbs 3:17) 
• Repent of your sins, and persevere in faith and deeds (Isaiah 1:18)

Your deceitfulness may be able to fool other people, but you will never be able to fool God.

Will not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart! – Psalm 44:21 

Put all deceit far away from you. Have a pure heart in the Lord—a heart that loves His Word, and submits to and obeys His will. Surely, you will be happier!

Danger 2: Bitterness

The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger can share its joy. – Proverbs 14:10 

One of the greatest reasons Christians leave the Lord is bitterness.

You feel bitter toward those who claim to be Christians, yet look down on you and belittle you. Bitter toward God because all your friends and relatives are already married, while you are still single. Bitter with parents who treated you improperly, with insults and harsh words instead of love. Or bitter because someone's cutting words have wounded your feelings and offended your dignity.

"... for I see that you are full of bitter gall and bound by wickedness." Acts 8:23

Whatever form it takes, bitterness cannot give you a way out of your problems. When your heart is bitter, you will surely be full of anger and hatred. Your sleep will no longer be restful; even a soft bed will feel like a bed of thorns. You will be angry, constantly haunted by hurt, and unable to accept the situation. . And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander be put away from among you, along with all malice. – Ephesians 4:30-31 

Bitterness within you is one of the things that grieves the Holy Spirit. Do not nurture a root of bitterness, but ask for help to correct the attitude of your heart, and be open with someone who can help you.

To remove bitterness from your heart, apply these steps.

• Consider that those who hurt you do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34)
• Forgive them—not for their sake or your own, but for Christ's sake (2 Corinthians 2:10)
• Do not repay evil with evil (Romans 12:17). It never ends, and you will only wear yourself out. Repay evil with good. By doing so, you are not a loser, but in fact the greatest person in the world, because you can forgive the one who has wronged you.

For You bless the righteous, O LORD; You surround him with Your favor as with a shield. – Psalm 5:12 

Avoid a deceitful nature and cast bitterness out of your heart. God will bless your life, and He will surround you with His favor like a shield! - Church GKDI is currently in 35 cities. We have Bible Study gatherings in every area; if you need information or would like to get involved, contact us at contact Church GKDI Official: WhatsApp 0821 2285 8686 or Facebook / Instagram GKDI Official

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