Why would a child be told to “stay out of the weeds”? 

That exhortation would be given to protect the child from unseen dangers, possibly even death if one doesn’t find his or her way out of the weeds.

In the Bible Jesus refers to weeds in some of His parables. The weeds represent evil, as in the following:

Matthew 13:24-28: “He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’”

As I considered this, I wondered about the “weeds” in my life.

I believe that weeds are those thoughts that distract me from hearing the voice of God. 

Weeds can be thoughts that drag me into fear, despair, being critical of others, etc.  

Weeds can keep me from hearing the voice of God, because I have created my own scenarios of how others will react when I say something, so instead of hearing God’s guidance to help others I pull back and do nothing.

Weeds could be called “what if” thoughts, and once we start down that road, the errant thoughts often snowball, and we lose sight of where we started. We easily miss the opportunities to help others in the midst of the weeds we’ve created.

I recently read a child’s book entitled “The Whatif Monster”. A little boy was stymied by all those what if weeds, until the end when he turned the whatifs into positive outcomes. Why do we always create whatifs with negative outcomes instead of positive ones? Especially as a person who follows Jesus, I should always go to the positive thoughts, expecting God to do amazing things as I follow Him. 

Please note, I’m not talking about positive thinking. I’m referring to thoughts that produce a good outcome. For instance, I can whatif regarding a friendship. I can say, whatif she doesn’t like me, or whatif God gives us a great and lasting friendship.

Far too often my weeds create negative outcomes, but God wants to use me for His kingdom’s purpose in the lives of others, so I need to let go of those negative what if weeds.

Because Jesus is The Author of my life – Hebrews 12:2: “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – I can trust Him to help me stay out of the weeds, and to walk with me through all life’s challenges.

As the Author of my life, He has the right to have written my story. Since He does only good, never evil, I can trust that His story for my life is best. Why would I want to deviate, and attempt my own chapters? I do, unfortunately, sometimes veer from His script. It never works out the way I expect, because I don’t have the power to bring about the good that God can do in my life, and in the lives of others. 

Jesus’ ways are always best. How do you live your days – God’s ways or your ways? How might you be contradicting God’s plans because of spending time in the weeds?

As a Christ follower, I have God’s Word, utilized by His Holy Spirit to help me disengage and untangle myself from my weeds.

The more time I spend in God’s Word, the less likely I will stray into the weeds. I’m working to keep myself increasingly focused on the truth of God’s Word, and less on people’s opinions. Spending time with God in His Word as I begin my day is a necessity for me to keep the weeds out of my life. 

Taking time to talk with God throughout my day is another vital weed preventative. Offering thanksgiving throughout my day helps me to have a grateful heart, a heart tuned to the work of God in my life. Worshiping God with praise songs throughout the day is also another tool in my weed prevention tool box. Significant time with fellow Christ followers each week is another must that helps me pull the weeds out of my thinking, as well as being active in my local church.

Staying out of the spiritual weeds is a necessity, so the hidden snake can’t attack me!

All of this is necessary so that I can decrease, Christ can increase. Then I can be the vessel He wants me to be so I can share His love, His amazing eternal salvation, with those who have not yet made Christ their life. 

What are the weeds in your life keeping you from doing effectively, and being the recipient of God’s blessings for obeying?

Is Jesus your life? If not, why not join me out of the weeds of the evil one, and find the satisfaction now, and for eternity, in the perfect plans Christ has prepared in advance for us?

It would be my privilege to talk with you about your relationship with Jesus and/or the weeds in your life.  Please contact me at:  ButGodCares@gmail.com.

Living for Jesus, Donna

P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!

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Copyright 2024 Donna Shappy   All rights reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.