Weeds or Flowers?

 “For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance.”

II Corinthians 5:7

 

 

 

 

Weeds or flowers; which grow easier?

Of course it is weeds.

They require no effort.

Try as you might to destroy them, they are resilient and prolific.

We attack weeds mercilessly with potent chemicals and still they grow with smug indifference to our efforts.

We nurture our prized blooms and they still succumb to aphids or some other malady.

Sometimes, it seems to me, feelings are like weeds and faith is like flowers.

To develop the self-control we have been talking about this week we must transition from feelings to faith.

Our weed infested lot must transition to a garden plot!

Feelings, like weeds, can so easily take over our lives when we make no effort to control them.

Faith is a fruit which must be cultivated, must be grown.

We must – so to speak – weed out the feelings to let our faith flourish!

Feelings cause us to react while faith makes us reflect.

Like a Spring bouquet, self-control is enjoyable to those who are the recipients of it but it also is profitable to the one in whose life it is cultivated.

Lord:

We pray for that life ruled by your Holy Spirit.

Help us to cultivate self-control grounded in faith.

May we recognize our feelings but not be controlled by them.   

We humbly ask that you help us to transition from feelings to faith.

In Jesus Name

Amen