Toilet Paper and the Past

We would soon run out of air freshener; I wondered if I had more stored under the bed. Instead, I discovered a plastic shopping bag containing six rolls of one-ply toilet paper. Oh, no. I hoped we had used up all of that kind, even though we sure were grateful for it when store supplies ran low years ago. 

Reflecting on the past can be like finding air freshener under the bed; pondering pleasant memories brings refreshment. And we can also review helpful lessons learned.

But sometimes we unearth memories that should be exposed to the light and then disposed of. If self-pity, wrath, resentment, and other sinful feelings result from what we uncover, then we dare not dwell on those recollections. Instead, we can cultivate a spirit of forgiveness toward others, pray for our persecutors, and peacefully move on in our minds. After all, Paul in Philippians 4:8 shared a list of the kinds of thoughts we should embrace. And like the under-the-bed toilet paper, poisonous thoughts from the past simply must be flushed.