Ahhhhhh!!

Today I went on a rant…

Does that ever happen to you? Does your plate get so full that everything overflows and the plate crashes to the floor and explodes?

It didn’t take much for me to overflow. The bottle of bleach wouldn’t spray as I tried to scrub the shower and the bathroom sink stopped up.

I lost it! I ranted at the producers of the “new and advanced” mechanism on the spray bottle (this was after I had taken the spray apparatus apart half a dozen times in an effort to fix it). I screamed at the poor defenseless stopper in the sink for daring to lock itself into the closed position and refuse to open.

Of course, these two minor incidences were not the reason I had a melt-down. Being a caregiver involves an enormous amount of stress and it’s the small things that may cause an eruption.

And, the enemy is always looking for a weakness in us to launch an attack.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9

The family of believers is praying for me, but in my weaknesses and frustration, I left an opening for the devil to creep in and temp me to release anger in inappropriate ways.

Yard work and gardening have always been a form of therapy for me. After getting my loved one settled for a nap, the sunshine beckoned to me today to venture forth and pull weeds from my flower bed.

I talked to God, prayed, confessed my hurt, anger, and frustration. God blessed me with a few short minutes in his presence, before I was needed again in the house.

Sunshine on my shoulders, the rich aroma of hyacinths, and the feel of God’s earth beneath my hands and knees brought much needed comfort.

But, the weeds still remain in my flowers.

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. Matthew 13:24-26

I don’t just have weeds in my flowers, I have weeds in my life, too. Do you?

I expect we all have weeds sometimes. When the sun is shining and flowers are beautiful and weed-free, our garden looks lovely. But, those seeds from previous weeds still remain close to the surface, waiting for an opportunity to sprout–to intrude on our complacency and cause havoc in our lives.

How do we combat the weeds of life?

In His parable, Jesus explained that at the harvest, the wheat and weeds would be separated. Of course, that applies to us as well.

But, are we ready for the harvest? What if we are still in the beginning stages of our faith?

Or worse, what if our faith is faltering under a mountain of despair? What happens when our burdens are too heavy to bear?

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalm 68:18

I don’t want to confuse you by implying that weeds and burdens are the same thing. Just as weeds can inhibit the growth of flowers or crops, “weeds” in our lives can inhibit our journey of faith. Life weeds, such as fear, doubt, temptation, and eruptions of anger, can make our burdens heavier. But, life weeds can be controlled–just like the ones in my flower bed.

• I can pull weeds and they will die from lack of nourishment–the weeds in my life can die from lack of nourishment as well if I stop feeding those weeds, and instead, feed my soul with God’s Word.*
• I can cultivate the ground around my flowers, and the weeds cannot take root–I can cultivate my relationship with God, so that only His Word takes root and the sinful weeds cannot.
• I can smother the weeds with a layer of mulch and prevent them from emerging into the light–I can smother the whispers of the devil with the Light of the world–my Lord Jesus.

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Burdens may result from the weeds in our lives. At other times, burdens are caused by circumstances beyond our control. While we may not be able to control them on our own (as we can weeds), there is One who can carry our burdens for us.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

I’m probably not the only one who has had a recent infusion of weeds into their life. Nor am I likely to be alone in attempting to carry a burden that seems too heavy to shoulder. Will you join me in prayer?

Jesus, our Lord and Savior, when weeds sprout and threaten to block our walk of faith with you, help us to know how to cut, smash, plow down, and eliminate anything that attempts to separate us from you. And, as our burdens get heavy, as they often do, help us to remember your promise that we can find rest for our souls with you. In your precious name, Amen.

*Feed Your Soul with the Word of God: A Banquet of Thirty Short Bible Studies is a wonderful Bible Study or Devotional that can help nourish you on your journey with our Lord. Edited by Beebe and Katy Kauffman, this enriching study can be purchased on Amazon or from www.lighthousebiblestudies.com