Terrible Thistles

Grabbing a weed and trying to pull it out of the ground is difficult enough, but try grabbing a thistle weed. I can remember when I was much younger having the great pleasure of walking outside at my job, and having to clear flowerbeds of thistle weeds. Unlike ordinary weeds, it's difficult to grab them because of their stinging nature when touched. Even gloves can be penitrated by those spiny knives that grow on the side of the plant. So you can guess my dismay when I looked around me to see not just one, but hundreds of those rotten things. Some had grown to more than a foot and a half tall, and some were not so tall, but there they were just the same. They had to be pulled, because it was part of my job. So walking out into the morning sunlight, I began pulling them one by one. To pass the time I pretended like I was in a war pushing back the invading forces of thistles. Finally the task was done, and with stinging hands I retired inside.

Whether you have pulled a thistle weed or not, you probably have had to deal with what the Bible talks about here in Hebrews 12:15. Notice what the Bible has to say:

"Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled."

There's something about bitterness that just doesn't let up. If we are not careful, before we know it our entire life may be filled with thise painful weeds, that have roots that go deeply into the ground. Yet these weeds have to be pulled up, or else we fail of the grace of God. How do we solve bitterness. I like what the Bible says in the beginning of the verse: "Looking dilligently", you see friends, this is not some thing where we take a casual approach, but rather look everywhere for these rotten things. Secretly they are choking out all the incredible things that God wants to do in our lives. How can we be a blessing to those around us, when we are so distracted by bitterness that we cannot see.

Notice as well that these plants "spring up" as well. So not only do we have to look diligently, but we have to watch our lives to make sure that we don't start harboring bitterness. The more the roots grow deeper into the ground the harder they are to pull. So is there a solution to the horrible situation that we have found ourselves in?

Friend's the good news is that there was One who died on the cross of Calvary to free us from sin. If you are struggling with bitterness, there is a cure. The cure is forgiveness. How do we accomplish that? By realizing how much we have been forgiven ourselves. You see, we have hurt Jesus more than we could ever imagine, and yet He died for us! Can we not forgive those who have wronged us and cancel their debt in our lives as well?

Search your life friend. Is there anything in it that shows bitterness? Think back on your life. Were there points that were not resolved? Ask God to reveal them to you. Once He has, then go to that person, and apologize to them for your distance, and if they are not alive anymore, go to your Heavenly Father and confess. He will forgive you. Remember 1 John 1:9 which says:

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

So let us follow what the Bible which says in Ephesians 4:32:

"And be ye kind one to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."