Daily Habits

Photo Credit: http://www.daff.qld.gov.au

I heard a great analogy the other day for why we need to draw close to the Lord every day.

Weeds.

Weeds grow, not through anything we actively do, but through us leaving our garden unattended. They simply sprout and before too long, if untreated, can consume a garden, making it both visually unattractive, but also can kill off the good plants, lawn and flowers, we may have painstakingly planted.

What’s also interesting about weeds is they can develop some very strong root-systems if allowed to grow freely for too long which can be very hard to dislodge.

The effect of not drawing close to Jesus on a daily basis can be similarly destructive to our hearts.

Weeds can sprout, grab hold of our vitality, and before, we know it, our relationship with God can be suffocated. Not praying and reading the Word becomes normal, and the goodness we enjoy from our faith dissipates.

Some weeds can be deceptively attractive. Take Lantana, for instance. You can pass a field with lots of vibrant colours and then when you draw near, realise it’s all lantana.

Similarly there are so many attractive elements in life that if too frequently consumed can become a distraction.

Before we know it, our heart is overrun, consumed by worldliness, not necessarily anything bad in itself, but just not of God.

I love what Proverbs 4: 23 says about our heart:

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Wow.

Above. All. Else.

I have a garden full of weeds, but my heart is doing better. However, I have a few weeds with strong root systems that I need to cut out everyday by handing them over to the Lord by using certain verses that help change my focus.

But from now on I will use my garden as a reminder of what my heart can become, if left unattended.

Is it time you did some weeding of your heart? Time to lock yourself away with the Lord and kill off all those pesky weeds? And if there are some weeds with particularly strong root systems that won’t budge, may I encourage you to persevere. Find some relevant verses you can keep speaking to. This is one I’m now using:

“knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin” (Rom 6:6 NKJV)

How do you deal with the weeds in your heart?