Are You Growing Weeds or Flowers Among the Rocks of Pain and Illness?

“See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many”
 (Hebrews 12:15).

Near our back yard is an unsightly storm drain for our neighborhood. It was overgrown with weeds when we moved in last summer. The Homeowners’ Association placed a load of large rocks over the grate last fall to improve its appearance, which I greatly appreciated.

This spring, big weeds began growing up among the rocks. Some of these weeds had stems and roots the size of small tree branches. As I was pulling them up recently (resulting in several days of back pain which I should have known would happen!), I thought about how much easier it is to grow weeds than flowers.

Those rocks remind me of my health issues. Pain and suffering are like big stones that weigh me down. It is easy for me to allow weeds to grow through these stones – weeds of bitterness, discontent, anger, envy, hopelessness, faithlessness, and many others. 

Some of these roots are quite large at times. Thankfully the Holy Spirit continually prompts me to adjust my attitudes and pull these weeds out so they don’t overrun my life.

Not too far from these rocks are another group of rocks. There are weeds there as well, but there are also a few flowers that have managed to push through the rocks and bloom, showing that it is possible for certain flowers to grow poor conditions.

The rocks of pain and suffering are heavy to bear. Unsightly weeds of negativity can grow up easily through these rocks. Flowers of faith and beauty are more difficult to sustain, but they can be grown if we persevere and keep reaching for the Son.

I don’t know about you, but I would much rather live with flowers than weeds.   

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, You know the weight of my pain and problems. I confess that in my attitude toward my suffering, weeds are much easier for me to grow than flowers. Help me to persevere and push through my stones of suffering with faith and not bitterness. Amen.