Suffering and Bitterness

 There is much to learn and receive from Martin Luther King, Jr. We celebrate his life and legacy today. Tucked away in my readings, I found a quote from MLK that I’ve been chewing on all week:

“As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation…either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.” Martin Luther King, Jr.

Now, I did some research on that quote and it appears to be 1960 that he wrote those words. His editor at the time, Harold Fey, urged him to include more personal experiences. Luther was cautious as he didn’t want to be the type of person that called attention to his trials and sufferings. But, he felt justified in mentioning them because of the influence his trials have had in shaping his thinking.

During the time of this quote, he knew very few quiet days. He had been arrested five times and put in jails in Alabama. His home had been bombed twice. He and his family received countless death threats. He had been a victim of a near fatal stabbing. At times, he reflected, he could no longer bear such a heavy burden. He was tempted to retreat to a quiet lifestyle. Each time that temptation reappeared, he was strengthen with determination to go on.

King, though his trials, learned the value of unmerited suffering. He saw, as the quote so aptly said, that were two ways he could react to suffering. He could chose bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. You and I both know his chosen path.

Many reading this today have gone through trials of some kind this last year. It may be nothing like what King went through, but we can learn from King HOW to walk through our trials. Bitterness is just resentment that has been held on to. Bad stuff happens? We get bitter. Then more bad stuff happens? The bitterness grows like a cancer. We see it in others, but so often fail to see it in ourselves. Bitterness has become our “go to” way of dealing with our anger, resentments, political issues, and disagreements. God gently gives us a different way.

For King, he was able to retain a tender heart even in the midst of persecution, hatred and racism directed towards him. King said “So like the Apostle Paul I can now humbly yet proudly say, ‘I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.’” (Galations 6:17) His suffering that he had experienced had drawn Him closer to His God.  Does your suffering draw you to the heart of God? God gives us a different way. King lived it.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.