Beware This Pernicious Intruder
It happens every year. In spite of my best efforts, it continues to rear its ugly head. No matter how much I rake, till, mulch, or pull, weeds somehow find a way into my garden.
Almost mockingly, they maneuver through layers of mulch and spring forth as the obnoxious, uninvited guests to a party. They threaten to crowd out good, fruit-bearing plants with a host of other unwanted guests like themselves.
The weed can be pulled from its roots, cast into a pile, soaked in gasoline, and burned to mere ashes. Yet the next day it will return. In spite of such discouraging realities, the gardener must diligently fight back these intruders if they hope to see a fruitful and productive garden.
Likewise, there is an unwanted intruder that continues to show itself in the depths of my heart, my affections, and my thoughts. No matter how much I battle it, it continues to rear its ugly head and threatens to take over. It robs my heart of the joy graciously given to me by the Lord. It poisons the well of forgiveness and grace and instead fills me with shame and regret. It distorts my understanding of God's love and faithfulness, leaving me to feel abandoned and forsaken.
Who is this unwanted intruder? Sin.
THE ONGOING BATTLE
As believers, we’ve been made new. We have been given a new heart, and the Spirit of God dwells within us. However, both Scripture and life experience remind us that our battle with sin is not over. We still battle with our natural, fleshly desires that wage war within us.
Paul knew he was a new creation, but even at the end of his life, he recognized the sin within him (1 Tim. 1:15). Scripture teaches us to regularly confess our sins (Matt. 6:11–12). The battle between the desires of our flesh and the Holy Spirit is explicitly laid out in Galatians 5:16–17:
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for they are opposed to each other.”
Recognizing this ongoing battle with his sinful desires, Paul laments, “O wretched man that I am!” (Rom. 7:24).
I don’t know about you, but I find myself lamenting too. Just when I think I’ve realized spiritual maturity and growth, I’m convicted of a selfish thought or action that seems too “elementary” for a mature believer. I go through an experience that brings about humility, yet I discover deeper prideful motivations.
Even where the Lord provides victory over a certain sin, the Spirit continues to peel back layers that reveal deeper sins within. Like the persistent weed, my sin continues to rear its ugly head, and I find myself tempted to grow weary of the battle.
LIFE-TAKING WEEDS
Giving in to the unwelcome weeds in my garden would bring devastation. Weeds do not bear fruit that’s good to eat; rather, they take needed nutrients away from plants I want to thrive. If not dealt with properly, weeds continue to reproduce and eventually take over the whole garden.
Likewise, sin cannot create; it can only destroy, pervert, and ruin God's good creation. It turns godly passion into ungodly anger, gifts and talents into sources of pride, ambition into jealously, love into lust, and financial blessing into greed.
Sin often takes God's greatest blessings and turns them into idols. Sin promises you the world but only gives you hell. It will rob you of a fruitful and productive life. And if you aren’t waging war against your sin, it will continue to grow and take over your life, bringing about destruction and chaos.
This is why, fellow believer, we must continue to battle such a destructive intruder. Make every effort to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5) and hide God's Word in your heart (Ps. 119:11). Strive to grow in your love for Jesus (John 14:15), love for righteousness (1 Tim. 6:11), and hatred for evil (Ps. 97:10). We must continue to resist (Jas. 4:7) and consider ourselves dead to sin (Rom. 6). Pray that you may endure temptation (Jas. 1:12) knowing that the same God who began the work in you will complete it (Phil. 1:6).
REMOVING THE ROOTS
One of the first lessons I was taught about weeds is that you must pull them up by the roots. While it’s certainly easier and quicker to just cut off the top of the weed, doing so is not good in the long run. Most weeds have the ability to regenerate if the roots are left behind, and they often come back stronger than before.
I remember the first time I read the chapter about heart idols in The Gospel-Centered Life. I had never before considered the difference between my surface sins and heart idols. Oftentimes, we repent and confess the surface sin, but we don’t always take the time to consider the deeper heart idol.
For example, impatience may show itself when I grow frustrated with people and speak hurtful words. I can repent of my impatience without taking time to figure out the deeper idol. Perhaps in the depths of my heart is an unhealthy desire for success. When someone gets in the way of my success, I grow impatient and frustrated. Repenting of the impatience is good and needed, but if I don’t do the deeper work of slaying my idol of success, sin will show itself in other ways.
As we dig deeper into the idols of our hearts, we can apply the good news of the gospel and bring about healing and forgiveness. If the idol is success, the gospel reminds me that my acceptance in Christ isn’t based on my ability to achieve or succeed but on God’s unconditional love. As I slowly accept that truth and work to believe it every day, not only is the idol put to death, but the many surface sins that grow from it are as well.
As you continue to pull weeds of sin in your life, take time to do the following:
(1) Identify your common surface sins and (2) prayerfully consider what heart idols might lie behind them. Then (3) worship Jesus for his victory over that idol and (4) find specific gospel-promises you can rely on to help defeat the power of that idol.[1]
BEARING FRUIT
Though sin is a persistent intruder, let’s continue to wage war against it, knowing it has nothing good to offer but false promises.
The Master Gardener has plans for you to bear fruit until he comes and makes all things new. Until then, let’s diligently pluck out the unwelcome, destructive weeds that only cause harm.
[1] Robert H. Thune and Will Walker, The Gospel-Centered Life (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2009), 55.
James Williams serves as Associate Pastor at FBC Atlanta, TX and as a GCD staff writer. He and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James Twitter or his blog where he writes regularly.