Resentment is synonymous with bitterness. Bitterness is the feeling of hurt and pain towards someone because of their action or inaction. Sometimes, the person who hurt us may be unaware that they have done something painful. When we allow bitterness to dwell long in our hearts, we become vengeful and sad, and negativity starts to creep in.

This article contains bible verses that speak the mind of God about bitterness and resentment. You will also find a prayer guide to help you pour your mind to God.

Examples of Resentment and Bitterness in the Bible

1. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:3-8)

The story of Cain and Abel is one of the biblical stories that explain how resentment works. Cain became resentful and bitter when God accepted Abel’s offering over his own. Cain’s resentment led to the first murder as he killed his brother Abel out of jealousy and anger. The story teaches that we sometimes need to check ourselves and improve instead of being bitter.

2. Esau and Jacob (Genesis 27:41)

Jacob robbed Esau of his blessing. I understand the pain Esau felt because of Jacob’s deceitfulness; he must be devastated knowing his mother was Jacob’s accomplice. Esau harboured deep resentment towards his brother Jacob after Jacob deceitfully took his blessing from their father, Isaac. Esau’s bitterness caused a longstanding family rift, leading him to plot to kill Jacob.

3. Joseph and His Brothers (Genesis 37:4, 50:15-21)

 Joseph was the daughter of Rachael, whom Jacob loved.  Jacob loved Joseph, but he wasn’t discreet enough about his feelings. Joseph’s brothers resented him because their father loved Joseph the most and gave him a unique coat. Their resentment led them to sell Joseph into slavery.

It is excellent to know that Joseph forgave his brothers, which shows the impact of forgiveness over bitterness.

4. Saul and David (1 Samuel 18:6-9)

 Saul became jealous of David after David killed Goliath. King Saul grew increasingly resentful and envious of David after the women sang praises of David’s victories over his own. Saul’s bitterness led to multiple attempts to kill David, resulting in a prolonged period of conflict. Although David spared Saul’s life twice, it was not enough reason for Saul to let go of his bitterness.

5. Naomi (Ruth 1:20-21)

 Grief, loss and difficult experiences can cause a feeling of sadness and bitterness. Naomi experienced deep bitterness after the loss of her husband and sons. She cursed her fate and even changed her name to Bitterness.  Despite her bitterness, Naomi eventually found hope and joy through her daughter-in-law Ruth and God’s provision.

6. Jonah (Jonah 4:1-3)

 Jonah was a prophet sent by God to Nineveh. He was to declare the word of the Lord to Nineveh, but Jonah wasn’t willing to go. After they repented, Jonah was bitter towards God for showing mercy to the people of Nineveh. Jonah’s resentment led him to question God’s decisions and intentions, but God used the situation to teach Jonah about compassion and mercy.

7. Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42)

Martha felt bitter that her sister Mary wasn’t helping with the housework when Jesus visited their home. Jesus gently corrected Martha, teaching her to focus on what truly matters: listening to Him and being present.

8. The Older Brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:25-32)

The prodigal collected his share of the property and squandered it. Afterwards, he came to his senses, returned home to his father, and pleaded for mercy.  The older brother resented his father for welcoming his wayward younger brother back with open arms and a celebratory feast. The parable highlights the older brother’s bitterness and the father’s unconditional love, teaching about grace and forgiveness.

9. Miriam and Aaron against Moses (Numbers 12:1-2)

Miriam and Aaron became resentful of Moses’ leadership and his marriage to a Cushite woman. Their resentment led to rebellion, and Miriam was temporarily struck with leprosy as a consequence until Moses interceded for her healing.

10. King Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard (1 Kings 21:1-4)

King Ahab became bitter and resentful when Naboth refused to sell his vineyard. Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, orchestrated Naboth’s death, leading to severe consequences for Ahab and his family.

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Give Room for Resentment and Bitterness

1. Resentment encourages negative emotions that can overshadow your daily joys and personal happiness.

2. Harbouring resentment creates distance and mistrust in relationships, making it challenging to maintain healthy relationships.

3. Chronic bitterness can lead to stress-related health issues, such as high blood pressure, headaches, and weakened immunity.

4. It contributes to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and emotional instability.  Joy is a critical component of healthy mental health; bitterness erodes joy, leaving its victim in the hands of fear.

5. Holding onto resentment can prevent you from growing and learning from past experiences.

6. Bitterness makes it challenging to forgive and move on, keeping you in a negative cycle.

7. It can diminish your ability to empathise with and understand others.

8. Negative emotions can distract you and reduce your focus and productivity in work and daily activities.

9. Resentment disrupts your inner peace, causing inner turmoil and conflict.

10. Resentment can lead to a toxic atmosphere at home and in social circles, affecting you and those around you.

30 Bible Verses to Help Fight Resentment

1. Ephesians 4:31-32 

 “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

2. Colossians 3:13 

 “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

3. Hebrews 12:15 

 “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”

4. Matthew 6:14-15 

 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

5. Proverbs 10:12 

 “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”

6. Romans 12:19 

 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'”

7. James 1:19-20 

 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

8. 1 Peter 3:9 

 “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

9. Proverbs 15:1 

 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

10. Galatians 5:22-23 

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Anger and bitterness are two noticeable signs of being focused on self and not trusting God’s sovereignty in your life. When you believe that God causes all things to work together for good to those who belong to Him and love Him, you can respond to trials with joy instead of anger or bitterness.

– John C. Broger

11. Psalm 37:8 

 “Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.”

12. Proverbs 14:29 

 “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”

13. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 

 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.”

14. Luke 6:27-28 

 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

15. Romans 12:17-18 

 “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

16. Matthew 18:21-22 

 “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'”

17. Proverbs 16:32 

 “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.”

18. 2 Corinthians 5:17 

 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

19. Isaiah 43:18-19 

 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

20. Philippians 4:8 

 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Too many Christians become bitter and angry in the conflict. If we descend into hatefulness, we have already lost the battle. We must cooperate with God in turning what was meant for evil into a greater good within us. This is why we bless those who would curse us: It is not only for their sakes but to preserve our own soul from its natural response toward hatred.

– Francis Frangipane

21. Psalm 103:12 

 “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

22. Proverbs 19:11 

 “A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”

23. Romans 8:1 

 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

24. Ecclesiastes 7:9 

 “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”

25. Psalm 34:14 

 “Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

26. 1 John 1:9 

 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

27. Hebrews 10:30 

 “For we know him who said, ‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.'”

28. John 13:34-35 

 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

29. 1 Peter 5:7 

 “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

30. Romans 5:8 

 “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Acrid bitterness inevitably seeps into the lives of people who harbor grudges and suppress anger, and bitterness is always a poison. It keeps your pain alive instead of letting you deal with it and get beyond it. Bitterness sentences you to relive the hurt over and over.

– Lee Strobel

Prayer to Overcome Resentment

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to your presence today with a heart of thanksgiving and dedication. I am grateful for the privilege to be called your daughter. Thank you for helping me realise I harbour resentment and bitterness towards others.

Father, I come before You with a heavy heart, burdened by feelings of resentment and bitterness. I acknowledge that these emotions consume my spirit and hinder my relationship with You and others. Lord, I humbly ask for Your divine intervention to heal my wounded heart.

Father, grant me the grace to forgive those who have wronged me. Please help me to release the anger and pain that have taken root in my soul. Remind me of the boundless forgiveness You have shown me, and empower me to extend that same forgiveness to others. Teach me to let go of grudges and to embrace Your love and mercy.

Dear Lord, the Bible says your love has been shed abroad in our hearts. Grant me the grace to allow your love to sink into every part of my consciousness. Help me to know your love and extend the same love to others. Your love can heal every pain of bitterness and resentment; I want to understand your love, God.

Lord Jesus, cleanse my heart from all resentment. Fill me with Your peace that surpasses all understanding. Replace my bitterness with compassion, my anger with patience, and my hurt with healing. Guide my thoughts and actions to reflect Your love and kindness.

Holy Spirit, work within me to transform my heart. Help me to see others through Your eyes, with empathy and understanding. Strengthen my resolve to overcome negativity and cultivate a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation.

Father, I place my trust in You. I know that with Your help, I can overcome these feelings of resentment and find true peace and joy. Thank You for Your unending love and for hearing my prayer.

In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Final Thoughts

We often think our bitterness and resentment are justified, but there is no justified resentment. The pain and effect of resentment don’t affect the other person, so why must we keep hurting? The earlier we let go of resentment and bitterness, the better it is for us as individuals, communities and nations. Let these bible verses and prayers help you overcome bitterness and resentment.