Spiritual Sketches: pictures from the garden
Weeding the Garden of Your Heart
A gardener’s arch enemy is weeds. Where do they come from? Why do they seem to thrive in soil where sometimes even my carefully planted crops struggle to grow? Weeds are always popping up everywhere, no matter how often I pull them. For every weed I yank out, it feels like ten more take its place.
Tending to a garden is a constant process, and if I ever stop pulling up the weeds, that garden will quickly become overrun. It’s amazing how fast a neglected garden can become a monstrous problem.
But this illustration of weeds offers timeless truths about Christian living. The Bible speaks of the state of the human heart, and there are clear parallels between the weeds in our gardens and the sins that can take root in our lives if we are not vigilant.
The Weeds of the Heart: Sin’s Unwanted Growth
The Bible tells us, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Our hearts are prone to sin, no matter how long we've been walking with the Lord. Even Jesus warned us, "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34). And Proverbs 4:23 tells us, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."
Just as weeds spontaneously pop up in a garden, sin can spring up in our lives when we least expect it. We may not plan for these moments, but they reveal the truth about the condition of our hearts.
Where Do Sinful Thoughts and Actions Come From?
Have you ever been driving down the road, and suddenly a rude or perverse thought crosses your mind out of nowhere? Have you ever said something hurtful to someone you love and wondered, "Where did that come from?"
Maybe you've found yourself telling a lie you didn’t plan on or sharing a dirty joke with friends without thinking. Or perhaps, out of the blue, you’ve blown up in anger at your spouse or children, and afterward, you wonder why you reacted that way.
These are the spontaneous "weeds" of sin. They aren’t necessarily premeditated sins that we plan to commit, yet they appear anyway. And we’re often left asking ourselves, “Where did that come from?”
The truth is, these sinful actions come from the same place weeds do—the heart. Sin is always lurking in our hearts, waiting for an opportunity to grow. John Calvin famously described the human heart as a “perpetual factory of idols,” constantly producing things that lead us away from God.
Guarding Against Weeds: Daily Spiritual Maintenance
Knowing that sin is always present, what can we do? Just like a gardener must daily tend to their garden to prevent it from becoming overrun, we must be vigilant in our spiritual lives.
We need to regularly inspect our hearts for the weeds of sin. Through daily prayer, Bible study, confession, and walking with the Lord, we bring our hearts under God’s care.
If we neglect our spiritual lives, weeds will begin to grow. I’ve had seasons in my life where I let my spiritual habits slip—neglecting prayer, Bible reading, and time with God. Before I knew it, my life was filled with sin. And while I would sometimes ask, “Where did all this come from?” deep down, I already knew the answer. My heart had become a neglected garden.
In Mark 4:19, Jesus warns that the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things can choke out the Word of God in our hearts, much like weeds choking out a healthy plant. The only way to keep these weeds from taking over is through regular spiritual upkeep—by keeping our hearts tender and receptive to God’s Word.
Practical Steps for Weeding Out Sin
So, what can we do to actively “weed” the garden of our hearts? Here are a few practical steps:
1. Daily Self-Examination
Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.” Just as a gardener regularly checks for weeds, we must examine our hearts daily. Is there bitterness, anger, pride, or envy lurking in the corners? Are we nurturing thoughts or behaviors that are dishonoring to God? Regular self-examination helps us identify and address sin before it takes root.
2. Confession and Repentance
When we find sin in our hearts, we must confess it to God. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We must also repent—turn away from those sins and make a conscious decision to walk in obedience.
3. Prayer and Dependence on God
In the same way that pulling weeds requires effort, we need God’s strength and guidance to overcome sin. Jesus tells us in John 15:5, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We need to pray daily, asking God to reveal the weeds in our hearts and give us the strength to remove them.
4. Feed Your Soul with Scripture
The more we fill our hearts with God’s Word, the less room there is for sin to grow. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Regularly reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture helps us keep our hearts aligned with God’s will and exposes areas of sin that need attention.
5. Accountability in Christian Community
One of the best ways to keep our hearts weed-free is to surround ourselves with fellow believers who will encourage us and hold us accountable. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” When we live in community, we help each other stay vigilant in weeding out sin.
Conclusion: Keep the Garden of Your Heart Weed-Free
Friend, I encourage you this week to take a close look at the garden of your heart. Are there weeds—sins—that need to be pulled out? If so, don’t wait until they become a bigger problem. Just like in a garden, the longer you let weeds go unchecked, the more they’ll spread and choke out the good fruit God wants to grow in your life.
Make it a daily habit to examine your heart, confess your sins, and walk closely with the Lord. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10) Through His grace, your heart can become a flourishing garden, bearing the fruit of righteousness.
