11 comments

Carrie Gaul

Surprised By Weeds

Posted on 11.10.09 by Carrie Gaul

Oh, how I wish you could have seen the palette of colors the Lord displayed this year in Michigan. The trees were filled with shades of red, orange, and yellow that grew more brilliant each day. It really was a spectacular season!

While I enjoy the changing colors and crisp autumn temperatures, I’m really more of a summer girl at heart. My heart thrills at the thought of long summer days filled with the sun’s warmth, the fragrance of freshly mowed grass, and the beauty of flower gardens bursting with color. weeds

Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? It might be, if only we didn’t have to contend with those unsightly, uninvited, menacing intruders called weeds! Weeds crop up overnight, seem to thrive in the most adverse conditions, and in a matter of days can overtake an otherwise picturesque scene.

I’ve battled a fair amount of weeds in my flower garden this year, but the greater battle by far has been with the weeds I’m discovering in my own heart. The ones Nancy calls “stubborn weeds of ingratitude.”
To be honest, I’m a bit surprised by these unsightly intruders in my life. Not because I’m oblivious to their existence—it’s just that I’ve never considered ingratitude as a problem in my life. The word itself sounds so . . . well, insensitive, self-centered, actually sinful. I guess I’ve seen my personal weeds as a little more “acceptable” than that.

You see, I’m a fairly optimistic person by nature. I love life, I love people, and even in the darkest of circumstances, I can usually find a glimmer of God’s hope.

But for several months some dark clouds of hopelessness had settled over my mind. I’d found myself overwhelmed by the needs and suffering of those around me--financial hardship weighed heavily on so many; marital conflict threatened to destroy the marriages of others; while physical disease and suffering afflicted countless others. Daily life seemed increasingly hard. Uninvited weeds of discouragement and soul weariness threatened to overtake my heart and mind.

In the midst of this dark valley, Nancy’s gift of Choosing Gratitude seemed of little significance. After all, I needed help uprooting the real weeds of life—not trivial little weeds like ingratitude. Then I read her statement “Lack of gratitude rarely presents itself as the source of our problems.” I was intrigued.

A few days later I read Deuteronomy 28:47-48, “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.”

I was stunned! Was it possible that a “little weed” of ingratitude was at the heart of my struggle? And if so, how could I ensure all traces of this uninvited intruder were eradicated from my life? Choosing Gratitude suddenly seemed vitally important!

How about you? I’d love to hear where you’re at—are you fairly “weed-free” or in need of some serious uprooting?

Comments

  1. I'm in need of some serious uprooting. My pastor told me the other night that I needed to focus more on giving thanks and praising the Lord. Well, I've tried and found that it is really difficult for me to praise the Lord but it is so easy to whine about what I thought I needed and what my problems were. It is easier to whine than it is to worship. I have a problem with that. I need so desperately to learn to worship and thank the Lord no matter what I'm facing.

    I would love to be one of those people that always wears a smile and has a praise on their lips, no matter what the circumstances are. That is my goal in life.
    posted by Jodi
    on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 10:25 am
  2. I guess we all have areas in our lives that need a good 'weed' cleaning. Remaining in the Word of God surely does help when we look at his promises and how He is so faithful to carry out those promises! It keeps us from being discouraged which I think is one weed that wants to keep cropping up in my life. So I will keep pulling it up by the Word of God!

    Thank you for your post today! Being from Michigan I enjoyed this autumn season as well!! Truly beautiful to see the handiwork of the Almighty!
    posted by Susan
    on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 10:43 am
  3. I definitely need a good weeding! But the greater thing for me to come to terms with is that I will again and again need a good weeding. My particular personality is of the sort that I would love to take care of weeds one time and be done with them, and I can so easily fall under a spirit of condemnation for my reoccuring failures. But that's not how it is in my garden, and that's not how it is in my life. My heart garden needs constant tending! That's part of being a human "bean." I'm so thankful that God knows we are dust and also that He, in His wisdom, gives us mentors (like Nancy and others), and friends and family to "do life" with! Conviction, yes! Condemnation, no!!!
    posted by Vicki
    on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 11:08 am
  4. I watched my husband place a special cloth down when he planted this year. I asked, "What's that?" He said it is a weed guard. That's what gratitude is ... a weed guard in our lives--a proactive way to guard our hearts.
    http://heartchoicestoday.blogspot.com
    posted by Dawn Wilson
    on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 1:27 pm
  5. Vicki,

    You are so right. While our lives are in constant need of weeding, we can rejoice that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! As beloved daughters of the King of kings, we can be assured that the Father’s love and acceptance of us never changes – regardless the weeds in our lives.

    A group of us were recently discussing just how easy it is to go back “under the law” in our thinking. One friend shared that a realization of her sin leads to despair and condemnation if she is living under the law. But when she is living according to all that is true in the New Covenant, the realization of sin causes her to run to the cross for forgiveness. She is then able to rejoice that the penalty for sin has been paid and the power of sin has been broken.

    Rejoicing with you in the faithfulness of our God!
    posted by Carrie Gaul
    on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 3:55 pm
  6. Hi Carrie --

    I was blessed by your post. Yes, I have needed some serious weeding recently (and am thankful the Lord is doing it). I have repented just recently of unthankfulness for all His goodness toward me.

    I also am very happy to have a copy of Nancy's new book, Choosing Gratitude, though I've not yet read it.

    May the Lord help us all to be a thankful people!

    In His love,
    posted by Leslie S.
    on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 4:23 pm
  7. I find myself more often than not in a trap of depression. I think my lack of gratitude has caused much of my depression. I am too often grumbling about how hard life is rather than being thankful for what I do have. I know that I must learn to be content in whatever state I am in, but lately it seems so hard. I am thankful for Nancy's study in gratitude, because it has made me realize the sin in my own life. Starting this week I have started a journey in thankfulness. Instead of saying woe is me, I am going to be thankful. Already I have felt some weight lifting. I long to experience the freedom that comes through Christ, that I have prevented by my own sin. The bible says we are Free from sin, but too often I remain under the bondage of it.

    I am thankful for all the ladies who post here on this blog. You are all such blessings. God bless!
    posted by Sarah
    on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 11:50 am
  8. Thank you so much for this post. I needed to hear this and I thank God for opening my eyes to this area of sin in my life. God bless you and thanks again. I will begin weeding the ungratefulness from my life now with God's help.
    posted by Tamara
    on Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 12:58 pm
  9. Thank you! I never really heard that passage from Deuteronomy before...wow. I've been surrounded by an overabundance of stuff, and instead of being glad that we have so much to offer others, I've griped about it. The passage really hits the mark! <ouch!>
    Challenges I face
    -to be grateful our kids are able to express themselves verbally, even when they argue or whine (one friend has an autistic son who's nonverbal)...
    -to be grateful my husband's going away hunting this coming week (he's healthy, strong, and well able to do it)...
    -to be grateful our home is a mess (our kids are healthy, active, and imaginative enough to scatter stuff)...
    -to be grateful we have leftovers, even when the kids don't like it (we have more than enough to eat)...
    Lord, keep reminding me of the blessings You give me!
    posted by Julie
    on Monday, November 16, 2009 at 4:21 pm
  10. Sarah,
    Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit (Ps. 51:12). My heart goes out to you as you seek to walk in the joy of all that is yours as a daughter of the King of kings. I know the desperation and emotional paralysis that can result from feeling discouraged and depressed. I also know there is abundant hope for you. You are not alone in this struggle; God is right there – He hears the cry of your heart. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge (Ps 62:5-8).
    I’m proud of you for choosing gratitude even in the midst of life’s difficulties, Sarah. You might consider journaling in that process. As you read Scripture, record what you discover about God - who He is, how He works, what He does. Then praise Him for all you’ve seen.
    Ruth Myers 31 Days of Praise is an excellent resource to help you in this process.
    Praying for you today. Press on, Sarah!
    posted by Carrie Gaul
    on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 10:18 am
  11. Sarah,
    Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit (Ps. 51:12).

    My heart goes out to you as you seek to walk in the joy of all that is yours as a daughter of the King of kings. I know the desperation and emotional paralysis that can result from feeling discouraged and depressed. I also know there is abundant hope for you. You are not alone in this struggle; God is right there – He hears the cry of your heart.

    Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge (Ps 62:5-8).

    I’m proud of you for choosing gratitude even in the midst of life’s difficulties, Sarah. You might consider journaling in that process. As you read Scripture, record what you discover about God - who He is, how He works, what He does. Then praise Him for all you’ve seen.

    Ruth Myers 31 Days of Praise is an excellent resource to help you in this process.
    Praying for you today. Press on, Sarah!
    posted by Carrie Gaul
    on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 10:24 am

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