Middle Fingers from Mom. 2 Fs to Survive Bitterness

Catholic dead-saint Anthony: Satan uses 3 things to trap us: regret for past; ingratitude for present, fear of future. I believe all three of these are at heart of bitterness, and describe perfectly modern American culture. What to do when your mother gives you the middle finger. Bitterness in Caregiving.   Malice is at the core of bitterness and 4 other destructive (Eph 4:32) behaviors.  Bitterness is a root, and route. The root of bitterness is anger, its route is bitterness, gossip, slander, clamour, lying, etc.    Cain was bitter before he became a murderer.  Adam was bitter at Eve. Eve at Adam. Both against the snake. God against all 3.  Saul was bitter at the success of David. David at Absalom.  Moses was bitter at God. Pharaoh was bitter at Moses. Moses was bitter at God in denying him the ability go to the promised land, God was bitter at Moses because of all that He entrusted to Moses  Bitterness comes from the German word bite. Bite me/Bite my head off. Same.  What is to good side of spectrum?  Disappointment is good side of bitterness is sarcasm bitterness on steroids?  Aren’t all funny comedians just bitter? Is bitterness the cause or the means? I think means toward end--to kill.   In other words is there something called bitterness or is it really just anger manifested in a particular way?  Is bitterness spectrum in other words to the left is something good but you cross the line and becomes bitterness. For example, critical skills, self reflection, honesty, accuracy, and “being honest.“ Do these things lead to bitterness? Two F’s to cure bitterness. Forget & Future.. You must forgive and forget. You must become Teflon. You cannot let it stick. You cannot let their biting affect your definition of yourself. You must be content, knowing that God knows you. This works both ways. Second you must focus on the future. You must shift your thought to a future small goal. If your mother gives you the middle finger at eight in the morning, focus on how she will be at 11 AM when you treat her to lunch. Joseph was bitter at his brothers while he lay in prison and suffered temptations under Potifer's loose wife. Yet he forgot, and he helped them in future.  We expect perfection in others. We never expect it in ourselves. We exact justice on others, and appeal to grace for ourselves.  Contact me at [email protected]