Battling Weeds

Last year, I battled a forest of thistles on our property. I wrote about the experience and how similar our spiritual lives are to gardens. Well, last week I waged war with the thistles again. I was discouraged at how many came back, even though I had cut down and/or sprayed the entire area. Thistles are one of those weeds that you have to work on year after year before they go away. It is the same with sin.

I’m sure every gardener knows the struggle, the ever present battle of weeds that just won’t go away. No matter how often they till, whack, or spray, the weeds keep coming back. It requires diligence and perseverance to keep them manageable and finally gain victory over the pests. Sometimes victory is never gained; some weeds just never go away entirely.

Sin can be that way. There are some areas (which are different for everyone) that we just can’t seem to gain victory over. There are some sins that we will always battle. It doesn’t matter how often we go to church, read the Bible, pray or anything else. Satan has a foothold there and it can be almost impossible to remove. I say almost because nothing is impossible for God, but He doesn’t always deliver us from our sin either.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul knew this struggle all too well. Of anyone who should have been able to get himself free through his religious virtue and practices, it was Paul. But even God didn’t deliver him from it. God had a greater purpose in mind. God knew Paul’s character, He knew that Paul could be lead back to pride over his status, so God allowed this “thorn” to be a constant reminder to Paul that he is no better than any other man.

I have experienced this myself. Not that I think God gave me this particular sin issue for this purpose, but God has used it to cause me to have compassion on others who are struggling with a sin habit, one they cannot break. When I am tempted to look down on another’s imperfection, I remember this horrible stain. I am no better than they.

John 8:10-11 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”

The temptation with this idea is to just give in to the sin with the idea that “I will never get rid of it, so why beat myself up trying for the impossible?” This is to ignore the very great atrocity of sin itself. God hates all sin and He wants us to hate it too. It doesn’t matter if we will always struggle with it; we still need to fight it. We don’t know how long we will struggle with something, maybe there is a lesson to be learned before we will be free. To give in to sin is to turn one’s back on Jesus’ sacrifice and offer of redemption. It is to ignore the fact that that sin nailed Him to the cross.

Romans 6:1-2 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (emphasis added)

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?

We need to fight it. We must not concede or accept it as the status quo. The battle with sin, whether it is with one in particular or sin in general, will never end on this earth. We need to fight the good fight, stand our ground, and refuse to give in to the devil’s plan to keep us bound and defeated. That is what happens when we give in to sin, we are defeated by the enemy, remain bound by sin and are handicapped in our service to God. That is why we must fight!

Isaiah 55:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Ask God for strength to keep fighting. Ask Him to reveal sin areas, especially engrained habits, that you have ignored or given in to. Ask Him to guide you, to help you fight. Ask Him for deliverance. And keep fighting!