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Hebrews 12:15
“Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.”

Bitterness never stays contained. The writer of Hebrews describes it as a root—hidden, growing quietly beneath the surface until it begins to affect everything around it. Revival exposes bitterness early because it knows how destructive it becomes if left unattended.

Bitterness often begins with unresolved hurt. When forgiveness is delayed or justice feels absent, resentment takes root. Revival does not dismiss pain—but it refuses to allow pain to become poison.

Notice the communal danger: “thereby many be defiled.” One bitter heart can trouble an entire body. Tone changes. Conversations darken. Suspicion spreads. Revival guards the church by confronting bitterness before it multiplies.

Refusing bitterness is not pretending wounds never happened. It is choosing not to rehearse them endlessly. It is surrendering the right to bitterness again and again, sometimes daily. Revival supplies grace for this repeated choice.

Grace and bitterness cannot coexist. One displaces the other. When we “fail of the grace of God,” bitterness rushes in to fill the void. Revival restores reliance on grace so bitterness loses its grip.

Midweek is a fitting time for heart inventory. Ask God to reveal any bitterness you have normalized. Not to shame you—but to heal you.

Refusing bitterness is not weakness. It is spiritual warfare. And revival flourishes where grace is chosen over resentment.