Soul Gardening - Weeds or flowers?
By Windy
Written originally June 7th 2017
I was in my backyard with my babies, letting them play while I pulled weeds. As I was pulling the tall prickly weeds out of my backyard I was praying, asking the Lord to pull out the weeds in my heart and soul and in the hearts and souls of His saints. Praying for the strength to get them out and keep them out. Some weeds were tall and prickly while others were more bushy and had little flowers growing off of them. My Oliver has often picked them and brought them to me, “look mama, flowers.” He’s a sweet little guy. As I was pulling I eventually got to these weeds, budding his precious flowers.
Oliver: “What are you doing, Mama?”
Me: “I’m pulling weeds baby.”
Oliver: “No, Mama! Those aren’t weeds! They’re just flowers!”
Me: “Sorry baby, these are weeds, not flowers.”
This exchange happened repeatedly as he jumped with his sister, Willow, on the trampoline and I continued to pull. Before I knew it, God was downloading these thoughts into my mind. Weeds often try disguise themselves as something beautiful, by growing little flowers, but they are still just that. Weeds. Wannabe flowers.
He brought it to my attention that the same can happen in our hearts and souls. It’s very easy to allow sin to grow if we keep ignoring it and before we know it, it is full grown and flowering. The flowers disguise it for what it is, sin. The flowers, in my mind, could be things like denial of the sins existence, or ignorance to the fact that it is a sin, or allowing the devil to completely twist it and make us think it’s something good when it’s not. “I’m not gossiping, I’m speaking the truth.” How often have we heard this? How often have we said this ourselves?
When we are born again, newly welcome into the family of God, we are baby Christians that may not know that our bad habit is a sin. In the same way a child doesn’t know the difference between real flowers and a weed’s flowers. As we grow in our spirituality we come to recognize these bad habits as sin we have allowed to take root. Luckily as we grow we also discover ways to weed out these sins. Do not despair if you find it a bit difficult to get rid of these sins. Our Heavenly Father and King Jesus are both full of grace and love and the Holy Spirit will relay the answers we need.
Just like when we’re pulling weeds outside, our goal should be to pull these weeds (sins) up by the root. Sometimes that’s a little easier said than done, but there is hope. What do you do when you can’t get a big weed up by the root? You chop that sucker down with a hoe or shovel (that’s what I used). This eliminates the surface weed but, unfortunately the roots are still there. How does this relate to sin? I believe we can start eliminating the sin that is surfacing by recognizing it for what it is, repenting for participating in it, and doing our best to stop the outward manifestations that are a result of the sin in our heart. This will allow God to begin the process of ripping it out by the root, and before you know it, it will not be an issue any longer. He will graciously show you the heart issue that is the root and walk you through the process of getting rid of all the roots. This process will sometimes be painful, just like the calluses and soreness of our hands from gardening our back yard. This will heal though, and if there is a callus on your heart he will heal that too.
As I continued to pull up these ugly invaders in my backyard, my slippers were full of stickers. He started to talk to me about the protection we need to build while we are pulling out these weeds. We need to have on good strong shoes while gardening, not slippers like i was wearing. I believe this is where the shoes of peace comes in perhaps. Having the word built up will strengthen our peace as we go through this difficult and uncomfortable time of rooting up these weeds in our heart. The word is like the “round-up” of sins, if you will?
Having the word instilled in us will help us to grow in our spirituality, and we will learn to recognize an invading weed as soon as it tries to pop up. Whether it is a new sin trying to make its way in or an old habit trying to creep up again. The word can also be a fence that guards our garden of flowers as the sprout, grow, and flourish. They need constant watering from the word and protection from the prevailing winds and other things that might cause them to be cut down. By allowing the Living Water, the Living Word, to fill our hearts and souls, we can obtain VICTORY over all sin and circumstance, new and old. His MERCIES are new every morning, and FRESH VICTORY can be obtained at any time. All we have to do is speak His Holy Name, speak His Living Words, that Rhema word that stirs and protects your heart whenever it is needed.
I thank you Lord, for this beautiful revelatory illustration you put in my heart. Help every one of your saints to be on their guard against the sin that tries to invade their hearts. Guide them in weeding out the habits and hang ups that are rooted deeply that you need to pull up. Help us to recognize the sins shortcomings we have for what they are. Help us to repent when we need to and receive your MERCY and GRACE that your Son allowed us to obtain by his obedient sacrifice. I repent for every sin I have committed. Help me to be heaven minded so that I can sin less and less. Help me to see myself the way you see me. Thank you for renewing me, spirit, soul and body. I love you Lord. Thank you for being my High Priest and interceding on my behalf. This revelation is another amazing VICTORY for me. To know that when all else fails, i know that you have it under control. You are in that constant state of intercession, and when the time is right I will receive that FRESH VICTORY I need to get me through to the next VICTORY.
