Skip to main content

Summer Weeds

            Whether it’s the warning message from the Homeowners Association or the sense you have when you walk outside that it just doesn’t look right, the overgrowth of weeds in your flowerbeds needs someone’s attention.

            My friend had attempted to conquer her weeds after such a warning.  If she was going to do it, she was going to do it all the way.  She started from scratch and bought a weed barrier over which she laid dirt and mulch.  She was sure that weeds would no longer pose a problem.  I shared my own experience having done the same and how amazed I am that some grass and weeds can make their way through anyway.  She was discouraged by my experience.  

            It’s not that the barrier doesn’t work at all.  I would hate to see how bad the weeds would get if I didn’t have it.  The best attitude I can have about the weeds in my life are to expect them and conquer them one day at a time.  I’ve remained basically diligent since spring.  I even pulled the tiniest weed knowing that I was diminishing my need for weeding in the future.  It has worked, but every week I have some weeds or unwanted grass to pull.

            I’ve accepted that I will never be finished.  Likewise, I will never be finished with my sin.  I will never finish a lot of things in this life.  Just like weeding seasons will continue to confront me, so will my sins, my grief and my misplaced emotions. 

            Accepting that I am a sinner can release the garden of my soul to flourish because of this spiritual reality.  Paul wrote these words to his spiritual son, Timothy:  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life (I Timothy 1:16).  I’m not proud of my sins when I accept that I am a sinner, but I am more in awe of my God who loves me.

            Accepting that I am a sinner aids my soul in a multitude of ways.  It keeps me from judging others too harshly.  It makes me wonder how God could love me so much.  It helps me fight off the condemnation with which Satan wants to attack me.  I already know that I am the worst of sinners, so I don’t need him to accuse me.

            Weeding seasons come and go, but the weeds are here to stay.  I want to live one day without sin, but I’m not sure I ever will.  The reward is in the trying.  The reward is in not giving up on the weeds.  I take them one weed at a time, and that makes my garden and my soul better than it would have been.  The blood of Christ flows fully and freely over the worst of sinners.  It’s discouraging news to one who is only focused on efforts to get rid of sin and not on God.   It is sweetness to a soul who can receive the love and forgiveness God bestows to the worst of sinners.

Copyright © 2013.  Deborah R. Newman  www.teatimeforyoursoul.com  All Rights Reserved.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Pilgrimage that Started with Tears

                Who would think I would shed tears deciding to set out on a wonderful journey that I have longed to take for many years?   Before I was ready to fully accept God’s invitation for a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, I had to journey to a place of agreement between what my soul wanted and what the Lord wanted for me.   For years I have been declining opportunities to travel to Israel—not because I didn’t want to go but because I wanted to go with my husband by my side.   I know that God could have arranged that for me, but instead He asked me to accept that He wanted me to be willing to go and leave everything behind.   When I was asked to make a decision about going on a Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, God gave me this verse in answer to my prayer -- Debi, observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength to go in and take over the land that you are cr...

Advent 3--JOYFUL EXPECTATION

The first week of Advent found me double-booked with activities that included two opportunities to share about the work that God did on our summer mission trip and another opportunity to share the Gospel with a group of senior adults.   On top of that there were regular teaching sessions and several parties to attend.   Though I had to prepare food, devotions, lessons and talks, I cannot contain the joy that was mine for the privilege of sharing with others how God was near to me.   It is what Paul felt in his Philippian jail where he wrote, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!   Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near ( Philippians 4:4-5).   Joy which results from winning the national championship, landing the big job, or winning the grand prize dream trip is easy to understand.   It is when joy comes from unexpected circumstances that it becomes God-given joy.   It is this kind of joy that we celebrate on the thi...

Why Me?

              When something tragic or unexpected happens, our first question seems to be, Why me?   It’s only human to feel this way and wonder why life has got to be so hard.   God has helped me look at my unwanted circumstances with a different question.   Rather than keep the focus on my pain and ask, Why me?   I focus on Him and wonder, How can You be glorified when everything is going wrong?             Adding one more word to that question makes a huge difference spiritually and opens my soul to find so much more than just my pain.   Another way to look at life’s tragedies is, Why not me ?   Sure, we each have our own amount of personal sorrows. These are the kind of sorrows that have no answers.      We can't explain away death, cancer, rape, bankruptcy and other heartaches.   It is easier to explain...