Essentials for Weeding
By Judy Fussell
Monday, May 30, 2016
Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:44-45 NIV
Spring has sprung and so have weeds! They are pushing up everywhere. It’s a constant process to rid them from areas where these unwanted pests mar the beauty desired in our manicured yards and gardens.
Our son called last week inquiring about the use of my tiller. It seems the yard and natural areas in his new home had been neglected by the previous owners. Once the temperatures warmed, the dormant weeds emerged to show their ugly heads everywhere.
Weeds grow naturally and certainly require no coaxing. For a serious gardener, weeding is an essential necessity in order to achieve the optimum outcome desired. Unless weeding occurs throughout the growth process the full potential of the garden will not be realized.
Weeding is also a process necessary for those desiring to follow Christ. The heart’s garden is easily marred by naturally occurring weeds such as jealousy, lust, envy, unresolved anger, rebellion, selfishness, worry, and the deceitfulness of riches. Unless these weeds are tackled, they will naturally spring forth and choke out the fruit God intends for His children’s lives to display.
In the physical realm, there are many ways to keep weeds at bay or to eradicate them before they are completely out of control and taking over. There are commercial sprays and preemergent herbicides, hoes, tillers, gardening gloves, and good old sweat equity.
Believers also have resources available to battle naturally occurring heart weeds that threaten to choke the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit in us.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
Christ transforms our hearts into His likeness. This is His beauty in us that reflects His glory to the world around us. We have a responsibility to allow, and make possible, the weeding necessary for this to occur.
God has given us His alive and active Word as a weeding tool. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) We have the avenue of prayer that we may come into the throne room and ask our loving Father to show us our thoughts and attitudes that are in contrast to His desires for us. (Psalm 139:23)
We have the privilege of abiding in Christ that He might work in our hearts tilling the soil that can easily become hardened while harboring weed seeds. (John 15:4) Let’s not neglect meeting together either; for this allows us to be encouraged and we are able to spur one another on to love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Gather your weeding essentials: Bible, prayer journal, quiet space. Keep them handy and readily available. Use them daily so that the garden of your heart might display the bounty God intends. Do not neglect God’s Word or meeting together with other believers.
Father, You are the Master Gardener. Search us, know us, and create a pure heart within us so that our actions and attitudes might reflect You. As we cooperate, it is by Your Word and the transforming power of Your Spirit, that the weeding process in our hearts might be accomplished. Give us a hunger and thirst for You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2016 by Judy Fussell. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Monday, 30 May 2016.
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