One of my favorite things about being a homeowner and caring for my place is pulling weeds. Mind you, it wasn’t love at first sight, but over the years, I’ve really come to enjoy it.

After my morning walk today, I took some time to weed a few spots in my backyard. I’d been avoiding it for a while, always finding better things to do with my time. But once I dug in, that familiar fondness resurfaced and I remembered how much I enjoyed it.

The weeds near my backdoor were overgrown so I anticipated the job taking a while. But I quickly realized their bark was worse than their bite. The weeds had shallow roots and were easy to pull. They also sprawled giving the appearance of being more than they were. Pulling the root of one, removed a large weed-covered section with little effort.

Isn’t that life? Oftentimes the things that trip us up appear much stronger than they actually are. The most powerful aspect of weeds is their fear-inducing appearance not the reality of their existence. In order to get our attention, they have to boast beyond their true presence and convince us of their ungainly influence.

Good prevails though. Those roots run deep and require more effort to uproot. Lord, help me to recognize the weeds for what they are– shallow and manageable. Don’t let me give them more power in my life than they rightfully deserve.