No short cuts, even with a tiller...

After neglecting some large areas of landscape around my house, the weeds were thriving. The tall, dense weeds were taking over the once beautiful area of trees and bushes. If I faced this reality, it would demand a lot of my time and energy. I stood before the weed infested area and said “I’m just not up for this.”

Have you found yourself saying that lately? I am just not up for… the chaos of a pandemic, the stress of a relationship, the diet I need to start, the bills I can’t pay while furloughed, the fourth-grade math that is NOT the same as it used to be,...? Often life requires a strength we don’t have on our own. These days, focus is difficult due to the lingering threat of COVID-19 and the hyper-vigilance of our current lifestyle.

After months of ignoring the weed infested landscape because I didn’t have the time, strength or motivation to do the work, it was time to deal with it. Searching for a short cut, a friend suggested I try using a tiller. I had never used a tiller, or ever seen someone else use a tiller. Together, my friend and I turned to You Tube (you would do the same, admit it). Those demonstrating the tiller made it look so easy and appealing. Push this power gadget and the weeds will be gone in no time at all! The temptation of a short cut captured me.

We crave short cuts. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, short cuts have been a way of life in America. In fact, short cuts are often considered more efficient. Not this short cut. Quickly I learned that the long, stringy weeds get tangled up around the tiller blades. I still had to get down on my hands and knees to pull up the weeds. There was no getting around the work.

The temptation of an easier way deceived me. As I pulled up each weed by the roots, I began to realize how often we want short cuts to our personal growth spiritually and in relationships. We want our spiritual life or relationships to be meaningful and strong, but we are not ‘up for’ the work that requires.

Spending the time cultivating our relationship with God or others, looking into the roots of our behaviors and patterns of communication, seems like a lot of work and can feel overwhelming. Perhaps you don’t want to consider the weeds of anger, resentment, bitterness, addiction, unfaithfulness, selfishness, fear or control. Maybe you find yourself saying “I am not up for this.”

The good news is~ God is up for it! Don’t give up or fall for short cuts that leave Him out. God provides the strength and wisdom for us to grow and thrive to become all He created us to be and to live out His purposes for our lives. Our part is to be in close contact with Him as our Master Gardener, and perhaps be willing to get down on our knees before Him.

Jesus provided a way for our relationship with God to be close and intimate. The bible describes this as abiding in Christ. Once we have asked Jesus for forgiveness and received him as Savior, we are connected through His indwelling Spirit. Jesus said “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

God provides His Spirit to live inside of us so we are never alone or on our own (Ephesians 1:13). God’s Spirit is our Helper, especially when we feel weak (John 14:26, Romans 8:26), our Advocate and voice of Truth who guides us to live from that Truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13). God’s Spirit empowers us to live in hope, joy and peace (Romans 15:13).

At times of personal struggle, we can be really hard on ourselves with self-critical, condemning thoughts. God doesn’t speak to us that way. As I looked over the mounds of weeds around my house, I said “I should not have let this get so out of control.” While there might be truth to that statement, it didn’t help me; instead I felt discouraged.

God doesn’t speak in a tone of condemnation to His children. (Romans 8:1). “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6

As the weeds of life circumstances feel a bit overwhelming, or our thoughts cultivate shame or insecurity, we can turn to our Creator God to tend to the garden of our heart and mind. God will uproot the worry of ‘what if’ or unanswerable questions of ‘why’, and prepare the soil of our heart for the truth about Who He is, His sufficient grace, and generous gift of His supernatural strength and peace that surpasses our understanding.

Do yourself a big favor and include a friend or someone you trust to help you use new tools- like a tiller or the tools of scripture and prayer. I am pretty sure I would have quit working in the weeds had my friend not encouraged me, helped me pull the weeds and use the tiller. We are not created to experience the journey of life alone.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

for he who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

not giving up meeting together,

as some are in the habit of doing,

but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Hebrews 10:23-25

Just keep digging,

Mary Beth

April 19, 2020