* Are you allowing your bitter circumstances to make you bitter?

* Bitter people are sharp. Sweet people are soft.

* John Ortberg said, “Bitterness is like drinking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die.”

* When you’re bitter toward someone you allow that person to control you.

* Vs 22-24 - their bitter circumstances made them bitter at Moses (which was actually an affront on God).

* How do you know you’re bitter about someone?

* 1 - You have imaginary conversations in your mind with them.

* 2 - The first and last thought about them is negative.

* 3 - You replay your experience with them over and over.

* 4 - You think you deserve better than they deserve (contempt).

* 5 - You can’t congratulate them and you won’t accept their advice.

* God often leads you to the bitter circumstances to test you - so you can see what’s in your heart.

* BUT God always provides a way to make bitter things sweet.

* Vs 25a - Sweetness comes from our Savior.

* Moses used a tree - Jesus hung on a tree.

* When you bring Jesus into the situation, you remember that He died for them as much as He died for you.

* This is the same thing Elisha did in 2 Kings 6 when the prophet lost his borrowed axe head.

* So how do you get rid of bitterness?

* 1) Recognize where you went wrong in your heart (at what point did you start getting sharp).

* 2) Repent for your wrong attitude.

* 3) Reprocess the situation through the cross (God uses the weaknesses of people to strengthen us).

* 4) Release the person in your heart.