Those Determined Thistles
When our family first moved to the area we now live, we built a home on a one-acre lot. We landscaped most of it except for one side that no one could see. Our landscaping took a lot of work to maintain, so we rarely mowed the abandoned side. Why do it if no one sees it? I thought.
One warm day, I decided to tackle that area and plant ground cover to spiff it up. Wearing shorts, a sleeveless blouse, lightweight gloves, and an old pair of tennis shoes, I set out for the challenge. Spikey limbs sprouting with little purple flowers covered the area, and the weeds had deep, underground roots that were difficult to remove. Soon, those tiny spikes cut into my arms and legs and stickers poked through my gloves. A few times, when I pulled on the limbs, they broke, and I fell into the stickers. Determined to win against these ugly weeds, I changed into more suitable clothes and put on heavy-duty gloves. I smelled of antibiotic cream hidden under my Band-Aids, but I was relentless.
We are all tempted by pretty flowers, disguised as sin, only to discover they hurt us. The enemy begins to woo us by putting enticing things in front of us. Like those petite purple flowers, the objects of our desire look innocent and attractive, but they are dangerous to our soul. The enemy will cunningly put a sin before us, making it look enjoyable, but the roots run deep. Though others may not see our sin, we have been deceived into believing it’s harmless to let it grow wild. That is why we are warned in Galatians, “You were doing so well until someone made you turn from the truth. And that person was certainly not sent by the one who chose you” (Galatians 5:7-8 CEV).
Proverbs warns us to control our thoughts: “Be careful what you think because your thoughts run your life” (Proverbs 4:23a NCV). Sin always begins in the mind. When we allow it to take hold, it can tangle us in its web, overrun our lives, and leave little room for good fruit to grow.
Sin usually begins with one small decision. Because our flesh is weak, we all deal with temptation, which can lead us down many dark paths, such as bitterness, greed, unforgiveness, eating disorders, moral failures, and lying. My husband once counseled a young man who had an addiction to pornography. A small temptation on the internet had become an overwhelming problem for him. A woman I know told me her pornography addiction began by reading sexual books and fantasizing. I can give example after example of how the enemy entices us to do the wrong thing which at the time appears harmless.
When sin takes root, it can choke the life out of us, making it very difficult to uproot what has been planted in our lives that is not from God. As difficult as it is, those blooming thistles of sin need to be uprooted. They may appear attractive or innocent, and tearing ourselves away from their captivity will be painful. But in the end, we will experience times of refreshing and leave room for God to grow new habits that bring peace and joy.
When we are counseling people caught in sin’s sticky web, we must remember it is not our right to judge another’s sin. If the person is a believer, the Bible tells us to confront that person in a caring way, leading them to repentance. Paul tells us, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path” (Galatians 6:1 NIV).
When we call on Him, God will give us the strength to resist anything that is not good for us. We must call upon His power and prepare ourselves to fight the good fight with perseverance. But first we must be honest about it. Scripture tells us to confess our sins to one another so we may be healed. As we pray for forgiveness and strength each time that temptation comes our way, we remove the enemy’s power over us.
It took hard work and constant watching to see if the weeds cropped back up on our side yard. Eventually I became the victor. Jesus is always the victor for us. Ask the Lord if there are thistles hidden in your life. It will require hard work and keeping a careful eye on your thoughts and actions until all the roots are gone. When the soil of your life becomes free from this sin, you will find a spacious place for life to grow.
Let’s pray:
Lord, I am so very thankful You took all the sins of the world upon you when you died on the cross for me. I ask You to help me uproot any thistles in my life that I do not recognize or that are obvious. Please turn that sin from being a guilty pleasure to being distasteful to me so that I can rid it from my life. I praise you Lord for Your help and Your deliverance. Amen.
