As the warmer temperatures of the spring season make our days more enjoyable, we find ourselves in our yards doing much needed yard work. Mowing the grass that has freshly turned green and sprung up with great determination to take over. Pulling weeds from the gardens and flowerbeds to allow the treasured flowers and plants to grow so we can enjoy the beautiful blooms and fruits of our labors. Bees busily buzz about depositing pollen as they drink nectar. Everything working exactly as God had planned it.

It is here in the garden as I pull the stubborn weeds away from my prized peonies, roses, and lilies that I find a reminder of God’s word. Occasionally I will have a rogue plant where I did not plant one, but the seeds scattered there. Other times I have weeds that are trying to take over. Each situation reminds me of the parable of scattered seeds and the parable of wheat and tares from Matthew 13.

I hear God say, “This garden is your heart. These weeds are the seeds of bitterness, anger, hate, resentment, worry, sorrow, doubt, broken promises, hurt and sadness. All planted by visitors in your garden and left to their own devices they flourished and took over, surrounding the beautiful plants of love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, confidence. As you sit and meticulously pull each weed and blade of grass up by the root; I too am doing the same to your heart.”

Sometimes we hold onto the weeds because weeds can seem beautiful. Sometimes they put out fruit or blooms. Yet they choke out the fruit God wants for us.
Galatians 5:22-23 says but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 
We must learn to let go of the weeds in our hearts and let God cultivate the seeds of love, joy, peace and so much more. The gardens of our hearts must be watered, tended, weeded and cared for to become more Jesus like.

I pray each of you find joy as you spend time gardening with God and that with each weed you pull you are closer to living a Jesus filled life.