"What's the Scoop on....Michal?"

This week in Bible study Arlene taught on Michal, a woman who fell victim to bitterness. We, like Michal, face circumstance in life that can also result in bitterness. Using Michal as an example, Arlene walked us through the anatomy of bitterness and brought us to a place where we could go to the Lord for the healing that some of us desperately need.

We are first introduced to Michal in 1 Samuel 18. She was the daughter of King Saul. At this time, even though David had no political power, Saul feared him. He knew God’s hand was upon David. “And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him” (1 Sam. 18:20-21a). Saul planned to use his daughter to facilitate David’s downfall.

A short time after Michal’s marriage, Saul attempted to kill David. Because of her love for him, Michal risks her own life to help David escape. After David is gone Saul marries Michal off to a man named Paltiel. Fast forward a few years….Saul is now dead and there is political unrest in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. David demands that Michal be returned to him, not out of love for her (at this point David has many other wives & children from these unions) but to help secure his place as king by marrying the daughter of the former king, Saul.

Life had not been easy for Michal. Both her father, and David the man that she loved, used her for their own selfish gain. It’s easy to imagine her heart in tatters. We see the fruit of this in 2 Sam. 6:16, “As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart”.

Arlene walked us through some questions about bitterness and used God’s word to address them:

How does the bible define bitterness?

“See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Heb 12:15)

“Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.” (Deu. 29:18)

Arlene pointed out that the biblical bitterness is rooted in turning away for the Lord, God and turning to idols.

How does bitterness take root?

Learned behavior – Looking at Saul’s life we see that bitterness had taken hold of him. Michal would have seen this and learned it as a way of dealing with the pain of her circumstances.

Unmet expectations – This can happen primarily in three different ways.

1) Because of people – maybe we expected people to act a certain way or to fulfill a certain commitment and they let us down. We become bitter.

2) Because of circumstances – perhaps we have experienced a tough blow or setback in life where we have felt like if only that hadn’t happened our lives would be so much better and we get bitter.

3) Because of what we perceive about God – while God is true and faithful maybe we expected something from Him that He never promised for us and we feel like He let us down.

How does bitterness manifest itself? How do we recognize it?

It taints our perspective. Michal thought that the servant girls would see David’s behavior as she did.

Bitterness separates us from the family of God and from the joy of the Lord. We see this as Michael stayed upstairs as everyone else was downstairs celebrating.

It changes what we know about God. Michal was critical of the way that David experienced God.


Why do we need to address bitterness?

Bitterness will make its self known."Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." (Romans 3:14)

It defiles many. “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Heb. 12:15)

It grieves the Holy Spirit. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Eph 4:30-31)

How do we deal with it?

Confess it. Looking back at Ephesians 4:31, it says ‘get rid’ of it. This isn’t something we can do apart from God. Arlene gave us an excellent visual of us holding on to bitterness with all we have as God tries to pry it from our fingers. Looking at Michal, in the natural she had every right to be bitter, as may we. But God knows this is going to hurt us and those around us. He needs us to offer it to Him with an open hand. Only then can He take it from us.

We need to ask for God’s grace. “Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.” (Ex. 15:22-25a). God can take what is bitter and make it sweet.

Time to wait for God’s perspective. “Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up” (Psalm 71:20).

From what we see in scripture, Michal’s heart never healed. It does not have to be the same for us. This past Tuesday was Valentine’s Day; Arlene’s message was entitled ‘How to mend a broken heart’. If your heart has been broken through the pain of unmet expectations, I ask you to prayerfully consider this message. Spend time with the Lord. Ask Him to reveal to you where bitterness has taken root. Confess it. Call out to the Lord for his grace. Allow God the time to work the healing. Don’t be discouraged if you feel it coming back – just keep giving it to God with an open hand. God is faithful. He will do it!.

“O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.“ (Psalm 130:7)