Pulling Bitter-weeds
When I was a boy visiting at Grandpa’s, he always asked me if I would pull up some bitter-weeds. Bitter-weeds had a terrible odor, but that was not the main problem. The main problem was the cows would eat them. When they did, their milk tasted the way the weeds smelled. It was undrinkable. So the task was to pull them up by the roots so they would not come back. If they broke off at the ground, they would grow back from the roots.
Last year I had what I feel was a unique opportunity. I had the opportunity to pull some bitter-weeds in my life. After some health problems, I developed some memory issues. As I recovered, my mind was flooded with memories. Some from years ago. Others were more recent.
The problem was I was not always sure about their source. I knew some were false. I knew some were real. Others I was not sure about. Some I wish had stayed forgotten.
I realized these would shape the future of my life and relationships. My choice was simple. I chose to accept only the good memories and to assign the negative memories to the false memories section. Some I had a difficult time discarding as false. But over time I was able to sort them out. l. Some I choose to assign to false even though I had an inkling they were true. I had to pull them up by the roots and assign them to the “false memory” section. Sometimes forgetting is more difficult than remembering.
This effort has led to a far more content present. I remember and think on the positive memories. As I do that, any negative memories seem to slowly die away. I guess I was pulling bitter-weeds. up by the roots.
If you were part of negative memories in my past, be assured that they are having less and less influence in my life. I hope that is true in yours also.
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy: without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble or defile many. Hebrews 12:14 – 15 NIV