If you’ve been following the guest posts from Kandy, you know she’s been anticipating Spring. Well, Spring is officially here and Kandy’s had her hands in the dirt. Read on to find out whether you’ve got weeds or grass in your own yard.
After long months of winter, spring has finally arrived. Of course, for the gardener at heart, spring also signals that it’s time to get my hands dirty.
Fresh cut grass. I thought I smelled it yesterday for the first time this season. But as I looked across my lawn to see where to start, I was disappointed to realize that most of the green I see is not grass, but WEEDS. From dandelions to purples, the weeds all have a jump start on my grass.
So, with my hands busily pulling weeds, I’ve discovered another spiritual lesson nestled within the earth: Beware of the first signs of life after a spiritual winter. You may just be developing weeds.
The Problem of Weeds in My Yard
So what’s so bad about weeds? After all, weeds are as good as grass in lots of ways. If I mow regularly and keep the yard groomed, I can even make the yard of weeds look like its a yard of freshly cut grass-from a distance, that is.
- Weeds keep the topsoil in place like grass
- Weeds can be grazed by animals just like grass
- Weeds don’t seem to change the content of the soil too much
The problem with weeds is not their appearance, but that they can so naturally ‘pop up’ and thrive and eventually TAKE OVER all the good stuff in the yard that doesn’t come so naturally. Weeds may start out as an innocent stalk or flower here and there, but eventually, they choke out the growth of the other plants that are truly fruit – bearing. After all, there’s only so much room in a lawn or garden.
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The Problem of Weeds in My Life
Weeds in my yard are similar to my natural abilities and tendencies in my life. Just because I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, doesn’t mean that all things that “pop up” in my life are from Him. In order to bear much fruit, I can’t just be satisfied with whatever activity I can produce on my own strength.
When Christ says that “apart from Him we can do nothing,” He is stressing the need to examine our “yard.” There is quite a lot that we “CAN DO,” without Christ, you know. But anything done apart from Him actually counts for nothing-like a lawn full of weeds.
As busy as I am, I’d do well to ask myself, ‘Are my activities simply manicuring a lawn full of weeds as they propagate my own natural abilities to flourish?’ The scary reality is that the duties I perform outside of abiding in Christ are worthless. Jesus ways that any natural growth within me is going to one day be raked into a heap and burned.
So, as you notice the weeds ’springing up’ in your yard this season, try to step back and look at your own life’s “garden.” What’s popping up in your daily life? Are these things a result of your own natural ability hard at work? Most of us would have to answer yes to this question.
Maybe it’s time to let someone else do the gardening in our lives. So, here are 3 steps to weeding your lawn this season and allowing Christ to plant fruit bearing plants instead.
3 Steps
1Apply pre-emergence in the winter seasons of your life before any signs of life appears. Pre emergence is a herbicide that’s got to be applied just in time, before the weeds appear. Just as this granulated mixture adds necessary nutrients to strengthen the grass before spring, staying in the Word during a spiritual winter strengthens that which is truly spiritual within and prepares it to reappear in time.
2At the first sign of weeds, put down a weed and feed. In lawn maintenance, you do this about once a season. In life, however, it’s at least a daily event. Each morning as you are waking up, say a simple prayer to resubmit your life to Him. Ask for discernment to know what things in your life need to be pulled up (weed) and what things need to be planted and fertilized (feed). Our natural growth (the weeds) must decrease if His life in us (fruit bearing plants) is to increase.
3For the weeds that keep popping up, allow the Master Gardner to uproot the weeds by Hand. Even if you keep your weeds in check and mow them down regularly, the weeds will learn to grow out instead of up. Each weed is different – some grow in clumps with short roots, some have running roots, others seem small, but have very deep roots.
- The clumping ones come up best when you grab the whole clump and pull vigorously.
- The ones with the runners are best pulled gently, to finally expose the real root before pressure is applied.
- The ones with deep roots are best removed by first loosening all the soil around the system.
Trust the Hand of the Gardner to know what you need deep within your soul. Find ways daily to recommit yourself to His weeding hand, trusting that He’s using your daily circumstances to pull that weed of your nature in the perfect way. View the ins and outs of your days to be God’s way of answering your request to remove the weeds and provide you with fruitfulness.
Your Turn
What is naturally growing within you that you know isn’t bearing fruit? What actions are you accomplishing on your own because you are naturally “gifted” in a particular area? In what ways can you look green and all the while just be a well manicured weed?
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