Will this end in bitterness?

Bitterness- what a word that evokes such despair! Bitterness is the deep hole dug by resentment and rage. Bitterness is the paralysis that comes when melancholy overcomes our energy to fight on. Bitterness makes me reactive, it shortens my fuse and makes me ready to fight.

In 2 Samuel 2, the followers of Saul and the followers of David meet for a fight. After the first group stab each other to death, the followers all jump into the fray. Asahel, a particularly fast runner, chases down Saul's former general Abner, who tries to ward off the young warrior. When it is clear that Asahel will not stop, Abner tries to stop him by thrusting the blunt end of his spear into Asahel's stomach. This attack should have left Asahel reeling but very well alive. However, Asahel is moving too fast and Abner is too strong. The spear kills Asahel. Many have already died, but Asahel's death sets David's followers off. They chase down Abner, who begs for mercy "Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their fellow Israelites?"

Joab, David's general, gets his wits about him and orders an end to the battle. The deal is settled... or is it? Abner eventually leaves Saul's family and joins David. David gives him amnesty and declares his past sin's forgiven. But David wasn't there when Asahel died. Joab was, and stabs Abner in the belly. The sword continues to devour. Bitterness is the end.

What is frightening about this passage is just how real it is. You can picture the screenplay of this story, and can understand the rage and anger.

What is more frightening about this passage is that God is hardly mentioned. As long as God is absent, the bitterness continues and becomes murderous. It is no surprise that Jesus tells the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount that bitter anger is related to murder- unchecked rage becomes bitterness, and bitterness makes us violent (if not physically, certainly verbally).

I pray for healing to my bitterness, that God's grace will wash away my bitterness and enable me to be free from it.