Avoiding Bitterness in Relationships and Marriages

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This article on avoiding bitterness is a continuation of yesterday’s discussion.

4. Hand it over to God.

There are wounds human words cannot heal. Sometimes the hurt is too deep, or the other person is unwilling to make peace. This is where bitterness tries to creep in strongest. But instead of letting it take root, this is when you pour it out before God. He has the ability to carry what you cannot. He binds the wounds you cannot touch and gives strength to forgive when your heart feels empty. Without God, bitterness hardens us. With God, bitterness loses its grip.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” – Psalm 147:3

5. Keep your heart soft.

Bitterness hardens the heart. A hardened heart is quick to snap, slow to love, and blind to grace. But a soft heart is tender, forgiving, and open to healing. In relationships, a soft heart is not naïve — it is wise enough to know that keeping bitterness out is more important than winning an argument. Staying soft means constantly remembering how much God has forgiven you, and letting that mercy shape how you respond to others.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” – Ephesians 4:32

Conclusion

Bitterness is not just about what someone did to you — it is about what you allow to grow inside you afterward. Left unchecked, it can destroy friendships, ruin marriages, and close doors to love. But when you guard your heart, seek reconciliation, practice forgiveness, lean on God, and keep your heart soft, you break free from the prison bitterness builds.

Choosing not to be bitter does not mean you were not hurt — it means you refuse to let hurt define you. That is how you keep your soul free, and that is how you keep love alive.

Avoiding Bitterness in Relationships and Marriages