The pokeweed I have been battling in the garden has thick roots that are sturdy like a carrot. The bigger the weed, the bigger the root. The bigger the root, the stronger its hold into the soil. This is a metaphor for things in our lives that are “weeds.”
Soul “weeds” can take many forms but always start small. Left unattended, a moment of unforgiveness becomes a habit of bitterness. A peek at pornography or a taste of a forbidden substance becomes a burning addiction. A simple game of Ouija opens a doorway for spiritual forces that torment us. As a friend said recently, “I know that the enemy has a powerful hold in pride and fear, anger and rejection, unworthiness and isolation, and must be removed…” There are many weeds, but only one Master Gardener.
The Holy Spirit – our Master Gardener – wants our spiritual gardens to be clean and full of fruit for God. In order for the good fruit to have room and nutrients to flourish, we have to allow him to clean out our “weeds.” Some of these may be easier to expel than others. Others may have to be surrendered to the Gardener many times before we realize we are freed from them. Some he may pull out in one painful, but complete motion. And still others may be removed simply by our willingness to give them over to him. Whatever that process looks like, we must allow the Spirit to direct our lives and to help us be rid of the “weeds” of this world.
Then we can produce the fruit of the Spirit and bring Light into the darkness of this world.
Master Gardener,
Thank you for the ways in which you call us and challenge us to let go of the weeds in our lives. Whether by gentle or abrupt methods, help us to allow you to remove from us all that is not of you. Holy Spirit, give us more of your fruit so we can be Light in this dark world. We pray in Jesus’s name, Amen.
““As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.” (Matthew 13:40-41 NIV)
“The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:22-23 NIV)
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5:19-24 NIV)
“If the Spirit is the source of our life, we must also allow the Spirit to direct every aspect of our lives.” (Galatians 5:25 TPT)