How can I
slay 100% of the weeds in my garden and within days a swarm of new weeds
sprout? My enemies must be sneaking truckloads of weed seeds into my garden!
These wily seeds are impossible to expel because they have such cunning methods of dispersal. Weed seeds helicopter through the air. They hook into dog's fur. They hide in horse manure. They hitch a ride on my shoelaces. They are expelled in bird droppings. They are buried by forgetful squirrels. And once stockpiled in my soil, these seeds can lie dormant for centuries, patiently waiting to be brought near the surface where they will sprout and torment my great-great grandchildren!
As I have confessed, one of my chronic weeds has been looking for life through sports. As a boy, I was consumed by sports – playing and watching and dreaming about them. I could survive a week at summer camp only if Mom would send me the sports clippings from the daily newspaper! But as I matured in my walk with God (and as my opportunities for athletic glory diminished!) that weed appeared to die.
I was duped. Before that mature weed was uprooted, it had dropped countless seeds in the furrows of my heart. Some of those seeds were dredged to the surface and sprouted when my sons began playing high school basketball. One of my sons spent most of one year playing behind a boy who was much less talented (this was the judgment of a college basketball coach.)
His season long disappointment was an ongoing struggle for him—and for me! As his trial wore on, I was wearing out. At one low point I wrote in my journal: "Because basketball was such a significant part of my childhood hopes and dreams, these games are very painful. In my mind I know that God is in control and I know my son will have the experience that God wants him to have. But I'm tired of fighting this battle."
My challenge was to repeatedly and vigorously knock down that ever-sprouting weed: "Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. Rom.6:13
When I was
tempted, I had a choice--I could offer myself to God or to sin. When
attending a game, I could sit by my co-grumblers—“What in the world is Coach
doing now? Is he brain dead?!" Or, I could sit by someone who would
encourage a respectful attitude--"It is sure tough being a coach." And in the car ride home, I
could submit my will (and my mouth!) to new evidence of injustice or I could submit
my will to God: "Lord, I know you are working for good in my son's life.
Help me to trust your design."
Stay tuned.
