Weeded Out
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
I spent today yanking it out. No, I’m not a dentist. I’m a gardener and a sinner. While weeding, I realized how much weeds are like sin. They’re thieves, taking up real estate that doesn’t belong to them; much like sin does. They both shadow objects from the light and, like sin, weeds suck out the nutrients and rob those entangled in them of their full potential and future growth.
Noble plants like Morning Glory and Mint can also wreak havoc in the garden left unchecked. There are like sins that are noble — sins we do that seem right — noble gestures — but if they aren’t done in accordance with God’s plan or are directly contrary to what He’s asked us to do, they are still sin.
Weeding takes time and diligence. It can’t be done quickly if it’s to be done thoroughly. It’s not just the big weeds or sin that need to be removed, it’s all of them. Weeding is hard work. My body and face contort as I yank, sweat, stretch, and groan.
Weeding the garden, and our hearts, is a battle. To guard our hearts requires vigilance because the status of our heart determines the course of our life. Keeping our heart free from sin will enable it to grow unhindered.
Do you have a weed growing in your heart that needs to be yanked? Get on your knees and pull hard, then watch what God will do.
Connie Pilston Shoemaker resides in Pittsburgh and has been writing and speaking for more than twenty years. Using God’s canvas of creation, Connie weaves together the story of our most important relationship on her blog “Kissed by the Creator” (www.kissedbythecreator.com) . She has been published in Parent Talk, Vibrant Life, Cross Country Skier and Backpacker magazines. She is putting the finishing touches on her first book.
Read Connie’s devotions.
