https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1EwKwayzLM
Hold on to Me ~ Lauren Diagle
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
~ Psalm 46:10 NKJV
God’s been showing me that He wants to grow some things in my life, but first, we need to remove anything from the soil of my heart that might choke out the blessings: thorns, grubs, weeds. In her book, Without Rival, Lisa Bevere recounts a conversation she had with God when He told her something similar. He showed her that grubs in her heart had “nibbled at the roots of [her] marriage and diminished the growth of the flowers of [her] friendships.” God told Lisa that she could choose to cover over them or renounce them in word and deed and give God permission to remove them. She chose God’s way. Then God told her it was also time to pluck out all the weeds. At that point, Lisa struggled, not wanting her soil to look “naked and barren.”
Growing up in Wisconsin, I had no context for this. Our yard had the occasional prickly weed or dandelion, but pulling them wouldn’t make the yard naked. But after living in Florida, I understood. Our yard in Ellenton was sand, covered by a thin layer of dirt, and tons of weeds. Our landlords tried several times to plant grass, but there were so many weeds, they choked out the grass seedlings. That’s what God was trying to convey to Lisa (and me). He doesn’t just want us to look fruitful. He wants our lives to be fruitful. The weeds gave the appearance of a full yard, but a bit of mowing or kicking around the dirt revealed the emptiness. As long as our hearts are full of weeds, we can’t bear the fruit God wants to grow in our lives, because there’s no room for healthy roots.
If, like me, God’s been calling you to pull the weeds from your heart so that the rich and juicy fruit He wants to bring forth will grow and flourish, it’s time to do it. Remember God—your Creator, Friend, and Defender—will cover over you. This isn’t a trick to shame you, but to heal and strengthen you. It’s time to give up your ways, allowing God to produce the fruit of the promises He’s buried deep within your heart.
©Heather Potts 2021
