Armed in my paint-saturated holey t-shirt and bum pants, hair in a ponytail, and minimal make up on, I am all set to join my husband and the other men at our church for a work day last Saturday. This is certainly not the most glamorous moment for this pastor’s wife!
While the men worked on repairing the walls and painting the sanctuary, I grabbed my grubby garden gloves and set to work on weeding the flower beds. It was just a few weeks ago that I thought I had evicted all those infernal weeds, and here they are again!
Now, I am quite proud of how beautiful the flowers are looking. They have multiplied wildly this past month! My favorites are the deep purple wave petunias. I’m not sure if I love them because they are so vividly colored, or because petunias are so easy to take care of! They are quite impressive looking! Unfortunately, however, it seems that in no time they are beginning to be overrun by these out-of-control weeds again.
As I set to work, one thing I have learned is that I can either pull up only the parts of the weeds I can see, or I can dig a little deeper and pull them out by the roots to ensure they will be completely annihilated. I guess it all depends on how quickly I want to be back out here to do this again.
Isn’t the garden of our hearts quite similar? We have been given abilities and gifts to enable us to fulfill our God-given purpose in life. They are like the vibrant flowers in the flower bed spreading beauty and fragrance all around. Or, they are like the nearby Georgia peach orchards producing bountiful, lush summer peaches. There is nothing better than peach harvest time!
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 NIV
Unfortunately, our hearts can be overrun with destructive weeds that can choke the tender blooms or hamper our fruit production. We battle the weeds of destructive habits, stinking thinking, unwise choices, unhealthy relationships, and many other distractions that can grow frenziedly if we do not keep them under control. We keep trying to rid ourselves of these things, but they keep coming back! What can we do?
Here are four steps to help you keep those foul weeds under control and bear the most luscious and abundant fruit possible:
1. Abide in the vine. John 15:4-5 says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”If you allow yourself to become detached from the vine, you will certainly wither and be unfruitful. In order to bear ripe and healthy fruit, you must be connected to the source, who is Jesus Christ. Stay close to Him, and you will have all you need to live the most abundant and purposeful life possible.
2. Walk in the Spirit.When you have accepted Christ as your Savior and have allowed Him to be the Lord of your life, the Holy Spirit dwells within you (Ephesians 1:13-14, 1 Corinthians 6:19). Consequently, as you live according to the Holy Spirit, you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, which are like weeds that stunt your spiritual growth (Galatians 5:16-26). Walking in the Spirit is the best weed control there is! He convicts us of sin and leads us on the very best path for the sake of Christ. Listen to His still small voice, and obey. That is the secret to staying on course! Then you will bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21.
3. Resist the devil. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7. You need to understand that you have an enemy that is bound and determined to render you completely useless. That is his job! He is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, and if we are not on guard, he will have a heyday in our lives (1 Peter 5:8). However, you are not helpless against this fierce foe. You have been given an arsenal of weapons to defeat him once and for all. The sixth chapter of Ephesians is your spiritual “weed-be-gone!” (Ephesians 6:10-13). He will try to make you think you are powerless, but he is nothing but a big, fat liar, and the father of lies. You have been given all you need to stand victoriously against him and his attacks!
4. Pluck these weeds out by the roots. You can do as I did the first time weeding and merely remove the parts of the weeds that are seen above the surface. You may have the façade of having it all together, but in no time, those weeds will be back to smother any productivity in your life. You essentially have two choices. You can continue dealing with the fruit of bad behavior and the consequences of irresponsible choices, or you can endure the momentary pain of plucking these weeds out by the roots and having them removed once and for all. It’s your choice! Get to the root of what is hindering your life and deal with it completely. And, don’t let it back!
Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. John 15:2
Back to my story. My husband and I carried a bagful of freshly picked, ripe, sweet peaches home with us after working at the church, and we made a batch of homemade, peach ice cream. It was a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Ah yes, this sweet treat was so worth the hard work of weeding and nurturing those peach trees! And yes, your life will also be sweet when you do the work of weeding and nurturing the fruit of your life, and it will be so worth it!
God bless you, and here’s to fruitful living!
Shari Lewis
