Speaking of Weed Trees

I was talking with someone today who was sharing real victories concerning understanding the truth of the gospel, our union with Christ and specifically how "the New Man is not just the Old Man repressed. " After we talked for a bit they said, "I understand it, I believe it, but how do I get this to work in my day-to-day life?" On the spur of the moment I explained that it was less like a formula or checking off a "to do list" and more like breathing in and out. Out of the state of union with Christ, we as brand new creatures breathe in His nature and breathe it out as our character. It was a sincere and honest question, one that has had me in reflection mode ever since.

The issue is control. Who is in control here? I am amazed at how much the Lord wants us to let go of control, to let go of our agenda for Him in our lives. Even when it comes to the expression of the full character of the New Nature we are still not in control! Often I think that when we look at our lives our perspective is different than the Lord's. His priorities for us differ from ours, or at least His time table for "addressing what when". I find that often He has an indirect holistic approach to life - when we just want an answer NOW!

I've been doing a lot of gardening this summer. I have also been passing along these skills to my fourteen year old son. He is learning to identify weeds and "friendly plants" from their leaves, long before they bloom or seed, and I am teaching him to deal with weeds. Last year the concept of not just "snapping the weed off" but getting out the full root was lost on him. Hence the weeds were a continual problem. This year he is more mature, and ready to deal with the weeds in a different way. Sometimes that's the way I think we treat the Lord. We want this weed out NOW! Whether its an answer to a question, a financial or physical miracle or a change in our character. We find ourselves praying prayers like, "I NEED MORE PATIENCE NOW! Why am I still struggling with all this anxiety if I'm a new creation? Why? Why? WHY? Am I doing something wrong???!!! What do I do? What? what? why? what?"

The Lord, in response waters us and says feed your mind, and soul on the truth. "But what about the weed, Lord??" we fixate, "Can't we just snap it off? Wouldn't that be easier? faster?" But He says, "No, marinate your mind and emotions in this, just believe it, breathe it in" . . .

. . .that you have put off once for all with reference to your former manner of life the old self who is being corrupted according to the passionate desires of deceit; moreover, that you are being constantly renewed with reference to the spirit of your mind; and that you have put on once for all the new self who after God was created in righteousness and holiness of truth. (Eph. 4:22-24 Wuest)

You died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3, NIV)

How can meditating and praying into, breathing in, receiving a truth change our character in the day to day? How can it cause us to lose our temper less? to have less anxiety? As we focus on the truth, trust that what Jesus did was effective, simply believe --- even if the "whoosh" doesn't come in that moment and we are still dealing with knots in the stomach, or the fact that we've lost it once again with a defiant toddler or teenager, somehow all on its own the gospel is working. Believe that God with His own energy is working inside us, changing us. That the gospel is effective in dealing with the sin of the Old Man, completely, perfectly. As we focus here it is like the rain (or the sprinkler) softening the ground all around the problem weed. Suddenly while focusing on the truth we find that the weed is gone. We look back and say, "Wow, I'm different than I used to be. I no longer feel pressure to perform and so the anxiety has lost its grip, and is simply not an issue." Or we begin to see the full picture of what's happening in our children, receiving God's insight into their development, receiving His authority and confidence and so we no longer lose our temper, but walk in true authority.

When we cooperate with God in His process those weeds that we were obsessed about are gone! It feels so natural to act as the New Creation --- and it is! It is who we are. We find that we are now believing in the One whom God has sent --- believing that the work of the Cross was effective, and its now penetrating all levels of our personalities, family systems and circumstances. We are just not in control of how, when and where the breakthrough comes. But surely as the sun rises it will come!