Anyone who thinks the Bible is boring or dry has never really read it. 2 Samuel 13-15 has lust, rape, deception, murder, anger, conspiracy...all the elements of a modern-day drama. Chapter 13 starts out with the story of how Amnon lusted after his sister Tamar, and eventually raped her. But the story doesn't end there. We go on to read about how anger and bitterness fermented in Absalom's heart (Amnon's brother), and he eventually murdered Amnon because of what he had done to Tamar. Because of this, he was banished from the kingdom, but David eventually called him back, although it was years before David actually allowed Absalom to see him. After all of that, Absalom's bitterness had nearly consumed him, and he spent several years carefully plotting a revolution against his father, which was nearly successful.
There is a lesson to be learned from all of this. This is a first-hand witness to just how destructive bitterness and anger are. The Bible says that Absalom spent 2 years waiting for David to punish Amnon for his crime against Tamar before he took matters into his own hands and murdered him; three years in exile after the murder; 2 years in Jerusalem waiting for David to allow him into his presence; and 4 years working out his plan of revolution against his father - 11 years total. Eleven years. Absalom lost eleven years - and eventually his very life - to bitterness and anger.
Bitterness is a cancer. It will eat away at you, until there is absolutely nothing left; just an empty shell of what used to be. My childhood was wracked by enough bitterness and anger for me to be able to say that I am a living witness to this fact. For years I held onto my anger, stubbornly refusing to forgive those who "didn't deserve" to be forgiven. But you wanna know a secret? Most people against whom you harbor anger don't even realize you're mad at them. They just go on their merry lives, while you rot away in bitterness, naively thinking that you're in some way punishing them for their sins. But there is freedom in God. Give your pain over to Him. He will heal you and bring to judgment those who have wronged you. Don't be like Absalom, who lost his happiness, the love of those closest to him, and eventually his very life because he refused to forgive, but rather insisted on holding onto his bitterness.
There is a lesson to be learned from all of this. This is a first-hand witness to just how destructive bitterness and anger are. The Bible says that Absalom spent 2 years waiting for David to punish Amnon for his crime against Tamar before he took matters into his own hands and murdered him; three years in exile after the murder; 2 years in Jerusalem waiting for David to allow him into his presence; and 4 years working out his plan of revolution against his father - 11 years total. Eleven years. Absalom lost eleven years - and eventually his very life - to bitterness and anger.
Bitterness is a cancer. It will eat away at you, until there is absolutely nothing left; just an empty shell of what used to be. My childhood was wracked by enough bitterness and anger for me to be able to say that I am a living witness to this fact. For years I held onto my anger, stubbornly refusing to forgive those who "didn't deserve" to be forgiven. But you wanna know a secret? Most people against whom you harbor anger don't even realize you're mad at them. They just go on their merry lives, while you rot away in bitterness, naively thinking that you're in some way punishing them for their sins. But there is freedom in God. Give your pain over to Him. He will heal you and bring to judgment those who have wronged you. Don't be like Absalom, who lost his happiness, the love of those closest to him, and eventually his very life because he refused to forgive, but rather insisted on holding onto his bitterness.
