“And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”” (Revelation 10:10–11, ESV)
In the devotional, Mornings with Tozer, there is a caution given for those who see the Christian life as full of only joy and peace and goodness and love. There are times when living faithfully means dealing with sadness, difficulty, trial, temptation, and sin. But some people just can’t seem to face the difficulties of being faithful in a fallen world. They want the faithful to only talk about good times, only focus on blessings, only be “nice”. Tozer wrote:
“Let me caution you about the attitudes of some of the bubbly “happy! happy!” people in our congregations who will insist that the Word of God can never be anything but honey sweet!
Fellow believers, when we digest, absorb and soak up the Word of the Lord, it becomes part and parcel of our daily lives. It is our delight. It is indeed honey and sweetness. But as we share that same Word in our witness to lost men and women, we will know something of bitterness and hostility, even enmity.
It will follow then in experience, that Christian believers who are intent upon being faithful witnesses for Jesus Christ may not always find sweetness and light in their contacts with evil, rebellious people.” (Meditation for November 29).
Being faithful will bless you with moments of grace and joy and peace and goodness. You should experience these, even cherish them. However, being faithful may mean you have to face some great obstacles, sinful situations, evil temptations, and vengeful people. Being faithful might mean you walk away from a friend who is intent on bringing you along into a sinful lifestyle. Being faithful might mean you need to face your own fallenness, a recurrent sin, terrible thoughts, depressive tendencies, or bitter memories. Just as mortal life is not always a bed of roses, the Christian life is not always “Happy! Happy!”.
In the scripture chosen today from the tenth chapter of Revelation, the beginning of the end times unfolds. Part of that process will involve scrolls being read in heaven as well as prophesying performed on earth. John, the author of Revelation, saw an angel in heaven. The angel was told to give a little scroll to John, the author of Revelation. John was told to eat the scroll. When he did, it tasted “sweet as honey” (Revelation 10:10). However, not long after eating it, John’s stomach was “made bitter”. He became sick. While reeling from the upset stomach, John was told he “must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings” (Revelation 10:11). The bitterness in John’s stomach was symbolic for the prophecy that would be unleashed upon the earth. As the word of God (which was beautiful to heaven) was prophesied, the sinful people on the earth would revolt at the words. When John preached, he would be ridiculed, tormented, despised, hated, and rejected.
You might think that the world should love God’s word. They should treasure the wisdom of the psalms, the glory of God’s Kingdom, and the gospel of Jesus. Sadly, this fallen world does not see the beauty, grace, and love found in Jesus. Rejecting the gospel, sinful people do not want to live in faithfulness. They enjoy the fruits of lust and a sinful lifestyle. They cherish their material possessions. They don’t want to tell the truth when a lie will gain them some leverage or wealth. Let’s be honest; the world hates not only the word of God but facing the truth. The fallen would rather lie to themselves, live with selfish sin, and relish their material wealth. Is it any wonder Jesus revealed that “It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to gain entrance to heaven” (Mark 10:25)? Sinful people hate to give up their worldly ways. They will hate anyone who even dares mention their sin, speak about the lies they believe, or separate them from their worldly possessions.
A ten-year-old boy named Phillip came home from school and immediately went to his room. His mother thought the boy’s actions seemed unusual. In the weeks before, Phillip excitedly shared what he had studied at school with his mother. He could hardly contain himself as he expressed his experiences each day. He was anxious to tell her of things he had learned, a good grade, or an upcoming class party. As this mother contemplated Phillip’s disappearance, her cell phone rang out. The boy’s teacher was calling. The mother answered the call only to be told that her son was put on detention for calling the teacher a cuss word. The mother was shocked that her son would do such a thing.
After finishing her conversation with the teacher, the mother knocked on her son’s door. He quietly asked her in. The two talked for a long while about what had prompted her son’s cuss word. Then, Phillip’s mother gave her punishment. Phillip would need to write a note to his teacher expressing his regret for his actions. The boy refused. He thought detention was bad enough! Now, he had to do this as well! He vowed not to do it. He yelled at his mother with tears in his eyes. His mother insisted. For his poor behavior at school and his bad behavior in rectifying the situation, Phillip was grounded for two weeks. He screamed all the more at his mother.
The next morning, Phillip’s mother woke him early so that he could write the letter of apology to his teacher. Phillip told his mother that his stomach was upset, and he was ill. He expressed that being sick, he could not go to school. His mother knew the boy was trying to get out of his apology. He was trying to wheedle out of his punishment. With his mother hovering over him, Phillip got dressed, wrote the letter, and went on his way to school. It was going to be a long, hard day for the boy.
It was difficult for Phillip to face his error. He lashed out at his teacher. He lashed out at his mother. Writing the letter of apology forced Phillip to own up to his behavior. He had to face his teacher with an apology note in hand. His mother, only wanting to do the right thing, dealt with Phillip’s anger and resentment and shouts and complaints. At one point, Phillip even told his mother that he hated her for making him write the letter. It is never easy to be a parent when you have to teach a child right from wrong or deliver a punishment for a sinful deed.
Like that mother, if you ever try to deal with a sinful relative or friend, you too will face resentment, anger, harsh words, and more. People do not like others to tell them they were wrong. People do not take kindly to facing their demons or owning up to their lies. Even though the gospel promotes love and truth and blessing and peace, the sinful world will usually respond to the gospel with hate and bitterness and curses and rejection… even war. Though the gospel of Jesus is sweet, the response to the gospel from the world is often very bitter indeed.
As you face your own sins, wrongful thoughts, or shameful acts, you may feel bitterness toward God or another person. You might find atoning for your sins or facing your demons the most difficult of things you will ever do. Confessing your sins or dealing with your mistakes may be bitter pills to swallow. In the end, working through your failures faithfully will bring sweet redemption and blessed forgiveness. Enduring the process toward forgiveness and obtaining God’s mercy will test your heart and soul and mind. Dealing with the sins of those around you may wreak havoc on your family gatherings or cause sleepless nights. The road to redemption is filled with many pitfalls and sorrows.
I wish I could tell you that your faith will be filled with “Happy! Happy!”. It won’t. Not until you are in heaven. Then, every obstacle overcome will be worth it. Every dark day of trial will be redeemed. Every wrong forgiven. Every loss healed. Until that day, you will need to face some bitter times and some nasty memories. Shame may drag you down. Worldly people may cuss you out. Family may reject you. If, however, you love Jesus more than anything, your difficulties will be overshadowed by the knowledge that there is a place for you in heaven even if your life on this earth has its awful moments!
What kinds of bitterness have others had toward your kindness? Have you held grudges and responded poorly to the rejection of the gospel? How well did you rise above the bitterness of a situation in your life out of a deep love for Jesus?
“Let me caution you about the attitudes of some of the bubbly “happy! happy!” people in our congregations who will insist that the Word of God can never be anything but honey sweet!
Fellow believers, when we digest, absorb and soak up the Word of the Lord, it becomes part and parcel of our daily lives. It is our delight. It is indeed honey and sweetness. But as we share that same Word in our witness to lost men and women, we will know something of bitterness and hostility, even enmity.
It will follow then in experience, that Christian believers who are intent upon being faithful witnesses for Jesus Christ may not always find sweetness and light in their contacts with evil, rebellious people.” (Meditation for November 29).
Being faithful will bless you with moments of grace and joy and peace and goodness. You should experience these, even cherish them. However, being faithful may mean you have to face some great obstacles, sinful situations, evil temptations, and vengeful people. Being faithful might mean you walk away from a friend who is intent on bringing you along into a sinful lifestyle. Being faithful might mean you need to face your own fallenness, a recurrent sin, terrible thoughts, depressive tendencies, or bitter memories. Just as mortal life is not always a bed of roses, the Christian life is not always “Happy! Happy!”.
In the scripture chosen today from the tenth chapter of Revelation, the beginning of the end times unfolds. Part of that process will involve scrolls being read in heaven as well as prophesying performed on earth. John, the author of Revelation, saw an angel in heaven. The angel was told to give a little scroll to John, the author of Revelation. John was told to eat the scroll. When he did, it tasted “sweet as honey” (Revelation 10:10). However, not long after eating it, John’s stomach was “made bitter”. He became sick. While reeling from the upset stomach, John was told he “must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings” (Revelation 10:11). The bitterness in John’s stomach was symbolic for the prophecy that would be unleashed upon the earth. As the word of God (which was beautiful to heaven) was prophesied, the sinful people on the earth would revolt at the words. When John preached, he would be ridiculed, tormented, despised, hated, and rejected.
You might think that the world should love God’s word. They should treasure the wisdom of the psalms, the glory of God’s Kingdom, and the gospel of Jesus. Sadly, this fallen world does not see the beauty, grace, and love found in Jesus. Rejecting the gospel, sinful people do not want to live in faithfulness. They enjoy the fruits of lust and a sinful lifestyle. They cherish their material possessions. They don’t want to tell the truth when a lie will gain them some leverage or wealth. Let’s be honest; the world hates not only the word of God but facing the truth. The fallen would rather lie to themselves, live with selfish sin, and relish their material wealth. Is it any wonder Jesus revealed that “It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to gain entrance to heaven” (Mark 10:25)? Sinful people hate to give up their worldly ways. They will hate anyone who even dares mention their sin, speak about the lies they believe, or separate them from their worldly possessions.
A ten-year-old boy named Phillip came home from school and immediately went to his room. His mother thought the boy’s actions seemed unusual. In the weeks before, Phillip excitedly shared what he had studied at school with his mother. He could hardly contain himself as he expressed his experiences each day. He was anxious to tell her of things he had learned, a good grade, or an upcoming class party. As this mother contemplated Phillip’s disappearance, her cell phone rang out. The boy’s teacher was calling. The mother answered the call only to be told that her son was put on detention for calling the teacher a cuss word. The mother was shocked that her son would do such a thing.
After finishing her conversation with the teacher, the mother knocked on her son’s door. He quietly asked her in. The two talked for a long while about what had prompted her son’s cuss word. Then, Phillip’s mother gave her punishment. Phillip would need to write a note to his teacher expressing his regret for his actions. The boy refused. He thought detention was bad enough! Now, he had to do this as well! He vowed not to do it. He yelled at his mother with tears in his eyes. His mother insisted. For his poor behavior at school and his bad behavior in rectifying the situation, Phillip was grounded for two weeks. He screamed all the more at his mother.
The next morning, Phillip’s mother woke him early so that he could write the letter of apology to his teacher. Phillip told his mother that his stomach was upset, and he was ill. He expressed that being sick, he could not go to school. His mother knew the boy was trying to get out of his apology. He was trying to wheedle out of his punishment. With his mother hovering over him, Phillip got dressed, wrote the letter, and went on his way to school. It was going to be a long, hard day for the boy.
It was difficult for Phillip to face his error. He lashed out at his teacher. He lashed out at his mother. Writing the letter of apology forced Phillip to own up to his behavior. He had to face his teacher with an apology note in hand. His mother, only wanting to do the right thing, dealt with Phillip’s anger and resentment and shouts and complaints. At one point, Phillip even told his mother that he hated her for making him write the letter. It is never easy to be a parent when you have to teach a child right from wrong or deliver a punishment for a sinful deed.
Like that mother, if you ever try to deal with a sinful relative or friend, you too will face resentment, anger, harsh words, and more. People do not like others to tell them they were wrong. People do not take kindly to facing their demons or owning up to their lies. Even though the gospel promotes love and truth and blessing and peace, the sinful world will usually respond to the gospel with hate and bitterness and curses and rejection… even war. Though the gospel of Jesus is sweet, the response to the gospel from the world is often very bitter indeed.
As you face your own sins, wrongful thoughts, or shameful acts, you may feel bitterness toward God or another person. You might find atoning for your sins or facing your demons the most difficult of things you will ever do. Confessing your sins or dealing with your mistakes may be bitter pills to swallow. In the end, working through your failures faithfully will bring sweet redemption and blessed forgiveness. Enduring the process toward forgiveness and obtaining God’s mercy will test your heart and soul and mind. Dealing with the sins of those around you may wreak havoc on your family gatherings or cause sleepless nights. The road to redemption is filled with many pitfalls and sorrows.
I wish I could tell you that your faith will be filled with “Happy! Happy!”. It won’t. Not until you are in heaven. Then, every obstacle overcome will be worth it. Every dark day of trial will be redeemed. Every wrong forgiven. Every loss healed. Until that day, you will need to face some bitter times and some nasty memories. Shame may drag you down. Worldly people may cuss you out. Family may reject you. If, however, you love Jesus more than anything, your difficulties will be overshadowed by the knowledge that there is a place for you in heaven even if your life on this earth has its awful moments!
What kinds of bitterness have others had toward your kindness? Have you held grudges and responded poorly to the rejection of the gospel? How well did you rise above the bitterness of a situation in your life out of a deep love for Jesus?