10/06/2026
This weekend at the Cupference event in South Hill, VA, speaker Sam Petty said that buried feelings like anger, rejection, failure, or abuse, can grow over time into a state of bitterness, a sense of unworthiness, 'forever a loser' mentality, or a paranoia. And over time, these feelings become a development factor of your character. And without recognizing the connection, we find ourselves wondering how we became the person we are now, who we often hate.
It is like the little seemingly insignificant creeper sprout that begins to grow and spread its runners, which begin to intertwine and entangle the branches of the neighboring bush or tree. All the while, the vines are robbing the tree of water and nutrition. And often the foliage of this enveloping veil blocks needed sunlight. Eventually the vines become the actual structure holding up the dead or dying tree or bush underneath.
Take anger. In time, if not addressed, it becomes bitterness which begins to invade and entangle our character and leaves us to become a sour, negative, unforgiving, and critical person. We are robbed of our joy and see everything through this lens of bitterness. Yet at the same time, we don't recognize such a character started with unresolved anger!
The men at the ARK are challenged to reach back and unbury those issues and resulting feelings that have spawned the hurt that they have tried to counter with drugs or alcohol.
But God can handle any issue and unresolved pain through His love and His word. Dealing with such hurts in a safe place, where there is no condemnation, accompanied with God's word, allows for healing and restoration. And that restoration is long lasting because the root cause has been dealt with.
The next time you see a bush or tree covered in vines, let it challenge you to honestly examine your character to see what entanglement might have developed because of unresolved issues that you have buried and thought gone.
Find and deal with the root, remove the entanglement, and begin to restore the beautify creation that God created in the first place!
