Watch what is growing in your life
I spent part of the weekend clearing out some cedar trees. They are plentiful and abundant at this place and needed to be cleared out. What’s striking about this spot is that it had not been touched in over a decade. No one planted all of these trees, they just came up on their own. You probably know of a spot like that. It’s true things prosper when you plant them, water them, and take care of them. But other things that you don’t want have a way of sprouting up to.
It’s that way in the Christian life too. I try to be intentional about the spiritual disciplines in my life. Bible study, prayer, worship, and more are all things that need to be nurtured in order for them to grow. But part of Christian maturity is also pulling out the things we don’t want.
It’s not that we planted them there. But it’s amazing what grows in our life even when we don’t tend to it. Anger, pride, lust, greed, gossip, and more all have a way of sprouting and trying to out grow the good disciplines in your life. So we have to make sure that every so often we go out and chop them down.
Part of the way that is done is by admitting that they are there first of all. Every Christian has these issues in their life, and denying it will not make them go away. But by admitting that we are sinners, and in need of Christ, we are taking the first step to rid ourselves of that terrible undergrowth. We have to be intentional about chopping them off at the root and destroying them, so that they no longer grow back.
One of the easiest ways to do that is through confession. Start by asking God to reveal in your life what you need to confess to him. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been a Christian for one week or 100 years, we still need to go to God through confession, and admit our sins. Do that today and you will be taking the first step to clear out your heart and make room for your relationship with God to grow.
