A neighbor forwarded me a cartoon with the caption, “Happiness is pulling a weed out by its root.” She followed it with, “Now I know why you are always smiling.” Apparently on many early mornings, she noticed me trekking throughout the yard tugging up weeds, piling them up to be disposed of later.

There is something satisfying about getting rid of the weeds and enjoying a well-kept garden or lawn. But those who try to keep an immaculate yard know that this is not easy. Many varieties of weeds grow surprisingly fast, sending out deep anchor roots that fiercely lock them to the soil. You’ve got to get your fingers deeper into the soil to get a hold of the tap root.

Other weeds dispatch root trails that bloom into extensive weed communities. Just pulling up the head of one weed is not enough, and you have to essentially remove every trailing root to eradicate the unwelcome family..

This process reminded me of how important it is that we do spiritual weeding regularly. It takes work! It can be frustrating to find out that your unwanted weaknesses and sinful behaviors have resurfaced yet again  . . . they take up space in the garden of your heart and choke out some measure of joy and steal the rest for your soul. How quickly an untended garden becomes overrun! Yet, making small improvements through consistent attention to your character is actually less work than if you complacently let things get out of hand.

Read the full article here: April ’22 Issue 8