Rev. Nancy J. Adams, Owego UMC —<\/p>\n
Some people like to weed. While it\u2019s not my favorite thing to do, I do like tasks where I can see progress being made, and weeding fits that category. I\u2019ve had the opportunity to do some (long overdue) weeding lately, and while there is certainly a lot more to do, it all looks better than it did. <\/p>\n
Yes, I realize that\u2019s a very low bar of evaluation. The standard should be higher than simply, \u201cIt\u2019s better than it was.\u201d That\u2019s an important start, though. I thought about how it would be so much<\/i> easier to weed if I did it more than once a year. It\u2019s far more of a challenge when the weeds have been allowed to \u201chave at it,\u201d and overtake the ground. <\/p>\n
Who likes weeds to overtake their property? Nearly no one, I would guess. While weeding, my thoughts went to how this all relates to our lives. Perhaps there are \u201cweeds\u201d we have allowed to invade our lives. I\u2019m referring to things like selfishness, greed, anger, addiction, resentment, strained relationships, fear, the need to be in control, an unforgiving heart, etc.<\/p>\n
That was not an exhaustive list. I\u2019m sure you could add other \u201cweeds\u201d to the discussion. They are all certainly weeds that can choke the life right out of us, just as weeds in our yard can choke the life out of the flowers and bushes that offer beauty and delight. <\/p>\n
Weeding can be hard work. Some weeds pull out rather easily, but others are deeply – rooted and take a lot of effort to unearth. For some, we need more help, because we don\u2019t have the right tool that we need, or we don\u2019t have the strength to remove it on our own. <\/p>\n
Sometimes we think we\u2019ve gotten rid of a certain weed, and then it pops up again a few feet from where we were working. Weeds can be pervasive and annoying, to say the least. Of course, the same is true of the \u201cweeds\u201d in our lives that I listed above.<\/p>\n
So what is the answer? What can be done? I\u2019m glad you asked. While weeding and pruning are not exactly the same, both can foster growth. <\/p>\n
In John 15 we read that Jesus is the vine, God the Father is the gardener, and that we are the branches. In order to grow and be nourished in the faith, we need to stay connected to the vine (Jesus). <\/p>\n
So how do we stay connected to Jesus? We study scripture \u2013 individually and with others, we attend worship weekly (not weakly), and of course, we pray. When we do these things, will our lives be perfect? No, we know our lives won\u2019t be perfect, however, the more connected we stay to Jesus, fewer weeds will have room to take root and grow in our lives. <\/p>\n
We also need to allow God to prune or weed out the deeply-rooted parts of our lives that suck the life right out of us, which we will recognize more quickly if we are engaging in worship, Bible study, and prayer. Another important way to stay connected is to be in fellowship with one another. <\/p>\n
I have good friends who will hold me accountable and tell me the truth \u2013 whether I want to hear it or not. Those are true friends and they are a blessing. I thank God for them! My church family is also a blessing. I can\u2019t imagine what it would be like without all the people with which God has blessed my life. They encourage me and want the best for me, and I offer and want the same for them. <\/p>\n
Well, it\u2019s time to do more weeding. Will you join me in allowing God to weed \/ prune what doesn\u2019t belong in our lives so that we may thrive? May we always stay connected to the vine \u2013 Jesus. If you do, you won\u2019t ever be sorry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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