There are many emotional experiences where bitterness and resentment dominate my perception of those close to me.  What is at the heart of bitterness and resentment?  The source is weeks, months or years of unresolved disappointment or conflict. When we hide our emotional distress branching out from relationship disappointment, the emotional distress does not disappear.  When others wound us and say nothing to us about this hurt this wound does not go away.   The hiding and silence of hurts and struggles eventually lead to bitterness and resentment toward those who we feel hurt, betrayed, misunderstood, or abused by. What we do with these emotional experiences is important and challenging. 

Our greatest enemy isn’t what happened too us.  As bitterness and resentment envelops our hearts our greatest enemy is born out of silence about difficult experiences. These experiences to often change our self perceptions.  People who hide or bury their struggles may grow to have contempt for their own sadness, hurt, guilt, or pain. Contempt for our own emotions may lead to resentment and bitterness toward those who trigger painful memories.

Desmond Tutu wrote ,”The Book of Forgiving” as a guide to help people work on bitterness and resentment through the path of forgiveness.  The Book of Forgiving is a book that I would recommend to help you see how forgiveness can relieve one from a living a life of bitterness and resentment.