Negative Thoughts are Weeds in our Minds

by Barbara Latta

I love spring because warmer weather and flower planting are on the agenda. Usually, by the time I come out of hibernation the bulbs placed in the ground during the fall months have already started pushing through the earth with new blooms. The fresh growth calls for additional plants to fill the garden space.

However, after being dormant all winter unwelcome invaders attack my flower garden. Weeds! They not only ruin the look of the garden, these culprits can choke out the beautiful plants I love. Pulling wild growth out of the ground can become hard work, but if attacked while small, the task is easy. Those weeds started out as seeds that were dropped onto the ground or blown there by the wind.  The villains weren’t noticeable until growth appeared.

Combating Negative Thought Patterns

God’s Garden

“Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23NKJV).

Remove weeds before they take root

At the end of winter each year, I am anxious to get out of the house and into the warm spring air. My hands itch to get into the dirt and start planting flowers. Usually, some of the bulbs planted in the fall are already bursting through the soil to say hello to the sunshine kissing their petals. Unfortunately, there are unwelcome invaders there, as well.

Weeds that have been dormant all winter are also sprouting and making their presence known. These attackers on the landscape lay hidden among the soil until water and heat feed them. Then they grow among the flowers, unnoticed until it is too late.

Our heart is God’s garden. Discord, bitterness, unforgiveness and anger can get planted in our minds when we entertain thoughts that carry these seeds. Sometimes we may not even know we have allowed them in until the weeds are fed.

Bad thoughts can become weeds

A seed is a very small thing and some are so tiny they can barely be seen. But they grow into giant plants and gargantuan trees. Some attitudes seem insignificant and harmless, but listening to the world’s values can carry dangerous consequences. And if we aren’t careful they have taken up residence before we know they have been planted.

Weeds are harder to pull out the longer we allow them to stay in the ground. The roots become deep and strong and it takes a lot of effort to remove them. Bad thoughts can take root if we don’t eliminate them when they are small. Daily feeding on God’s Word will nourish our minds with good seeds and kill the bad ones before they can become a destructive force.

Cultivating a garden keeps it beautiful, healthy and enjoyable for all to see. A soul full of joy and peace will reflect the God who has been planted in it. We must guard our heart because it is God’s field. No one wants a garden full of weeds.

How do you keep the weeds out of your thoughts? Join the conversation.

Weeding the Garden

Rain, rain, rain. We haven't had this much rain in about two years. Our yard is so green and is growing faster than we can cut it. It's nice not to have to water flowers every day.

But along with the flowers and grass we want, we also get culprits we don't want. Weeds. I spent part of my weekend pulling weeds out of all my flower beds and putting down new mulch. Hopefully, that will help curb their growth.

We get weeds in our lives sometimes too. They can creep in unaware and unless we get rid of them while they are small, we can have a full blown problem. Just like weeds in a garden can take over the plants, weeds in our minds can take over our lives.

So how do we get rid of those invaders that pop up in our thoughts?

1. Recognize a weed as soon as it appears. A bad thought, attitude, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. are all weeds in our minds.

 2. Take control of our mind because that's where the seeds get planted. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

3. Realize that when something pops into our minds it's not a sin unless we act on it. We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

What other scriptures do you stand on to keep those weeds out of your life?