Plant

Plant

Blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

FROM ACROSS THE YARD, my neighbor beckoned. I ambled over with a smile as he paused his lawn mower, pulled out his earbuds, and offered a smile of his own.

“I can take care of that for you,” he offered, as though it were settled. Together, the two of us turned a critical eye to look at the plants that normally lined my driveway, now interspersed with weeds waving high in the breeze. One towered over the others.

“That would be great. Thank you!” I said, smile in place, although I couldn’t help but cringe a little. The weeds out front, though unsightly, weren’t half as bad as the ones behind our home. I’d need a hatchet and shovel to get those backyard behemoths out of the ground.

I love seeing things grow—lilacs and hydrangeas are particular favorites—but I’m less fond of the weeds that grow alongside them. In many cases, the weeds seem even more stubborn to survive than any of my plants. Hardier. Immovable. Persistent.

The frustrating effort I spend trying to eradicate them gives me ample time to consider how often the state of my yard resembles the condition of my heart. A friend gave this analogy: God’s truths are planted in our hearts. And though the enemy of our souls cannot uproot them, he can plant weeds of doubt or lies right next to them. Too often, we allow the lie to grow alongside the truth, until it casts doubts in our hearts. We must be vigilant to get rid of the lies that try to take root, because they are hardy. Immovable. Persistent. Instead, let’s plant things that are true, lovely, noble, excellent, and worthy of praise in our hearts, and water them with the truths of God’s Word. Only then will our faith grow.

Lord, help us uproot lies we believe and replace them with your promises. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: Identify some of the doubts that have taken root in your heart. Look up Scriptures to help you replace them with the truth of God’s word.