Could Bitterness Be Keeping You From the Breakthrough You Seek?

When people reflect on their lives, many can identify moments when they were treated unfairly. Some are born into poverty, exploitation, or severe illness. Others grow up without the safety, care, or opportunities every child deserves. Injustice can leave wounds that affect the way we see ourselves, other people, and even God.

Acknowledging these wounds is not the same as embracing a victim mentality. Healing begins with telling the truth about what happened. Yet when painful experiences remain unresolved, bitterness can take root. It may trap us in repeated patterns of anger, suspicion, helplessness, or resentment—allowing what was done to us to continue shaping our future.

Releasing bitterness does not mean denying injustice, excusing harmful behaviour, abandoning healthy boundaries, or pretending that the pain was insignificant. It means refusing to let another person’s actions control the condition of our hearts.

Today’s devotional invites us to seek wisdom and favor as we move toward restoration. Favor is a gift of divine grace, but pursuing it may also require honest self-examination. We can ask God not only to reveal the injustice around us, but also to show us what has been developing within us because of it.

“Breakthrough: Finding favor” 2025. Mixed media on canvas, 30cm x 30cm

As you observe the painting, begin with a simple question:

Have I been treated unfairly?

Allow yourself to acknowledge the experiences that come to mind. What happened? What did you lose? How did the experience affect your confidence, relationships, decisions, or expectations?

Then consider a more difficult question:

What has this injustice produced within my heart?

“A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.” - Proverbs 21:2