Weeds

Weeds - we all hate them. They serve no purpose except to kindle frustration when tending to our lawn or garden. Since having moved to Hawaii, we now have a house which is part of a fourplex and with that comes our yard. Our section is technically bounded by measurements from here to there, but we decided to go ahead and take care of the whole lawn anyway, no biggee.
Over the weekend, we purchased lawn equipment: rakes, fertiliser, mower etc...and today, Josh spent the majority of the day outside tending to the lawn. I came out and helped him for a bit. What I found was that out lawn contains many, many weeds.  Lots of 'em. In fact, there are places where there are more weeds than grass. Not only do we have a plethora of weeds, we have several different types. As I was pulling these weeds, it reminded me of the weeds in our lives.
See, to me, our lives start out as a fresh area of grass - pure, untouched, green, fresh. As time goes on, if left intended, the outside invaders -sin (aka weeds) creep in.
Just like in our yards, there are many different types of weeds in our lives.
In our yard, we have one particular weed that masquerades as grass - yet it is choking the grass and prohibiting growth. Such could be a person or friend in our lives that seems harmless but in reality is a negative impact on our spiritual lives.
Other weeds snake through the grass and grow in its place, leaving more weed than grass in the lawn. There are also weeds like clover which grow in clumps and never really seem to go away and are always just...there. Then, there are even other weeds whose roots grow so deep that you would have to dig up a good portion of the yard to completely dispose of it. Such are the weeds in our lives. Jealously for example - perhaps jealously snakes through our thoughts, completely masking the good that God has placed into our lives. Or, like the clover, there's that sin that is just always there - never really going away. Or, the bigger ones - the ones whose roots go so deep that it seems impossible for them to be completely gone. And if they're torn up and exposed, what they leave behind is a patchy, bare, mess.
My friends, every lawn has to be torn up now and again. In order for the grass to grow again the weeds have to be removed. In the case of our yard, it requires a chemical fertliser, but it your life, what does it require? I know that the sins I. My life have required me to take a hard look at myself and admit otherwise painful things that I know are true. It requres me to die to self and do the things that inconvenience me, if only to bless other people. It requires me to be on my knees, asking to to yet again forgive me because I have messed up. It requires me to realize and believe that I am a sinner, and I desperately need a Savior. What do the weeds in your life require to be rid of them. Sure, it's easy to ignore them - but over time, they will eat away at you and leave you with a constant reminder if their presence.
However, if you deal with the weeds in your life, there may be holes left behind. But not to fear. Jesus can fill those holes. And while they may not be completely filled right away, know that He is working behind the scenes. Just like grass doesn't grow over night. That takes time, especially when the weeds have penetrated for so long. And eventually, just as the dark comes before the morning, you will soon see new growth, new grass, a fresh start.