Of Weeds and Roses

“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” Luke 8:17 NASB

Lately, I feel like I’m losing my battle with the weeds. The worst of them grow among the thorny roses my mother-in-law planted along the front of our sunroom. The thing is, it’s very difficult – and often painful – to remove those weeds that grow among the thorny branches. It’s a bit like removing a sliver: you have to be very careful or you will feel the pain.

So, in an effort to tame the weeds, my husband laid dirt, cardboard, and mulch around each of the miniature rose bushes. Not only did the flower bed look better, but we got to enjoy a weedless rose garden – for about two weeks. Then they popped their heads back up in blatant – and sometimes I think intentional – defiance. It felt as though they were thumbing their noses at us.

Sin is a lot like the weeds in my flower bed. You can cover them up and try to pretend they’re not there but sooner or later, they reappear. The only way to be permanently rid of them is to confess our sins and actively work to overcome our sinful behaviors.

I’ll be the first to admit that I have a few ‘weeds’ that keep cropping back up. The thing is, I know they’re there. God knows they’re there. It’s no secret to either one of us. So, in an effort to eradicate them, I have had to alter certain behaviors. I have asked the Holy Spirit to ‘prick me’ whenever I am about to turn away from the way God wants me to act. The process is slow and often painful, but it is necessary if I want to be Christlike.

Prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. Amen.

Thought: “Confession, you see, is not a punishment for sin; it is an isolation of sin so it can be exposed and extracted.” – Max Lucado