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Spring time always finds us with an overly busy schedule. As a result my flower beds are usually neglected for the first month or so of spring. As I paused for a moment and looked at them today, I realized that the weeds were already starting to take over. Weeds that will eventually choke out the beautiful flowers growing right in the midst of them.

It reminded me of how weeds begin to creep into my own soul. Weeds, that if neglected, will also begin to choke the beauty out of my own life. Weeds begin as seeds planted by the enemy. Those weeds could be discouragement, doubt, and anxiety. There’s a whole host of others that could begin to grow: anger, envy, bitterness, selfishness, discontent, ungratefulness. You name it. Couple that with being exhausted (physically or mentally) from an overly busy schedule and it is like a garden, that not only needs weeding, but also is lacking sunshine and water. Choked, dry, and depleted.

As I paused and knelt down and slowly began to pull the weeds from my garden, I was again reminded that my soul requires the same thing. It requires a quiet pause daily to soak in the truth of God’s word. To pull up the weeds growing from seeds planted by the enemy and replace them with the beauty and truth of God’s word. Scripture says it is the bread of life and that Jesus is living water for our choked, dry, depleted souls.

If I am being honest, when life gets crazy, a quiet pause with God can be so easily skipped because other things will scream louder than the gentle whisper of God. When I skip time in the word with God, I am allowing weeds to grow. I am choosing a choked, dry, depleted soul rather than the “abundant life” Jesus came to give us. (John 10:10) Scripture says this: “God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won the battle with the evil one”. (1John 2:14 NIV) The Message version describes it as “your fellowship with God that enables you to win the battle.”

Think back to Mary and Martha. Jesus told busy-bee Martha that Mary was doing the one necessary thing and it would not be taken from her. A quiet pause at the feet of Jesus. Soaking in His words. Pulling up the weeds. Watering and nourishing the soul. The one necessary thing to pencil in my schedule.

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