Weeds. I know, not exactly the most uplifting of subjects. Yet, the time has come, once again, for the removal of them from my garden. The soil has been softened by the rain and it has fed both the good and bad seeds. Knowing how stubborn they can be, if I do not make the effort in the right season, they will take over and grow even deeper.
Whenever I sit myself down on the ground with my favorite weeding tool in hand, God always seems to meet me in the soil. Sounds a little weird, but there is something about silence, along with putting my hands in nature, that helps me draw near to Him.
How closely weeding relates to the gardening of our Father. He always tends to us at the perfect time – when the soil of the heart is tender – painstakingly protecting and preparing us for a new season. In His wisdom, He identifies the weeds that have taken root and labors to pull all that attempts to choke out what is beautiful. Then, when the time is right, He causes it to rain once more. And so the cycle continues.
Isn’t it interesting how the rain helps the bad seeds grow, exposing what was once hidden below the surface?
Similar to our lives, trials or storms (the rain) are not always welcome, but they sure do help us understand where we really stand. They reveal what lives below the surface. They reveal the level of our faith, what kind of seeds have been planted, who God truly is to us, what we believe His thoughts are toward us, and so on. If we are not seeking truth – identifying what is a weed and what is not – our lives can quickly grow into a major gardening project.
What is found in my garden from season to season varies, but the more I tend to the soil, the less pervasive the weeds become. So too let it be with my heart, oh God. So too let it be with my heart.
Many of us have a few green pests that have managed to grow too high and much too deep in our hearts. The comforting part of it all is realizing that this is normal. It is the story of us in the vineyard of life being pruned, shaped, and nourished as His beloved fruit bearers. No doubt, we can fight or resist the process, but for those who love Him, He promises to complete the work that He began in us and even use some of our lessons to help others. Yes, God can use anything to teach… even the weeds.
My prayer for us all is that we can say: I am ready Lord. Let’s have that gardening party. Though the weeding may be tough, I also know You will, in turn, plant something beautiful. Please help me walk with a surrendered heart. Help me let go and trust in You for the removal of all that is choking out Your best. Cast out all condemnation and place within me the understanding that Your diligence and care is because of Your love. Thank you for Your grace… and thank you for the rain.
“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
