It’s spring in Southern Ontario, Canada. And when the new season hits, sometimes it all happens fast:
it warms up, snow melts, trees bud, grass gets green…
and so begins what’s known as the sub-season of dandelion season!
Really, dandelions are just a weed. Broad leaves that you can actually put in salad, and a thick stemmed, sticky golden flower in the middle that kids seem to love picking and adults seem to not love pulling.
Once that yellow flower turns to seed … poof … you’ve got a thousand more dandelions taking over your lawn. It’s time to grab the weed puller and the bucket and put on the work-gloves.
“The struggle is real!” my neighbour joked, rolling his pick-up truck window down as he backed out of the adjacent driveway. I was on my hands and knees pulling these suckers out by the roots.
Yes, if only he knew how real my struggles were – on so many levels!
And the relational rifts these weeds can create. Oh my.
Some neighbours pull them out with dedication, some don’t care. Clearly that’s visible as you drive down the street!
Some women like to pull them out nicely, whole root intact. Once the root is out, that plant is gone and never needing to be dealt with again. And if it does grow back it’s smaller and weaker they say.
Some men just clip them off with scissors or even better, a hunting knife, leaving the whole root in the ground- so the plant can regroup, grow a thicker bushier plant and be dealt with again in the future.
If you know me well, you’ll be aware that once, every spring, my husband and I have this stand-off about how to deal with dandelions!
Not even joking. I had an out-of-town friend call me a couple of years ago in the spring and she said, “Jenn, I was looking at my yard the other day, and all the dandelions, and thought of you guys, and wondered if you’d had your annual dandelion fight yet?”
I’m sure wars have started over lesser things than weeds!
But here’s the thing. It looks a lot like other areas of life. Mine anyways.
I’m pretty sure we all have areas where we see this kind of pattern crop up. Finances. Health issues. Our families. School or work.
We get it licked one year, just to be surprised and even blindsided when the same thing hits again next year, or next time. Sure, I grew, gained some victory, learned a new skill, and became a better person … only to relearn the lesson again, just in a different skin the next time.
Why this process, these battles?
So many times – and it seems painful to go around the mountain again.
When I read King Solomon’s thoughts in Ecclesiastes, I realize that these cycles and seasons are not a new thing for humans to notice. In fact, cycles and seasons are part of the groove of life. It really is how we grow.
(No kidding, Ecclesiates 3:2 literally says a time to plant and a time to uproot!! Haha, just sayin’! Maybe this king understood the dandelion struggle.)
But all jokes aside, the chafe and grate of life – it isn’t always a season that you can predict. I mean, I have my weed pulling tools, but I don’t always know exactly what day that first surge of uprooting will come. And truthfully, I’m not ever looking forward to the task.
As I ponder this reality and my soul begins to dialogue with God, I hear Him start to remind me that He has given me tools – even weapons! – to use in my daily and seasonal battles.
Sure, life does blind-side at times. And some seasons – it’s often. And it feels constant.
And every time the surge of the unexpected or hardship comes, when I reach to God, He always puts the right tool in my hand. Resources first begin to flow into that pocket of my heart that needs to be topped up with Hope.
King David, the father of Solomon, wrote this: It is God who arms me with strength … He trains my hands for battle, my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. (Psalm 18:32-35 NIV)
And again in Psalm 144:1-2, Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge…
This historical king found great hope and reality in God above who saw him through every uncertainty. And our God, He still does this today.
Even the Apostle Paul wrote about these life battles, and real, usable armour from God for our spirits. He wrote this letter to people that he knew in Ephesus during the first century AD. The Ephesians lived and shared their lives and struggles together, in a place near the Aegean Sea (modern day Turkey).
If they weren’t pulling dandelions it was likely something else equally worthy – or more so. Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, he wrote in Ephesians 6:10-18. He spoke about the battles and contentions that we face being resolved by using these helpful God-given tools:
• the belt of truth buckled around our waist
• the breast-plate of righteousness in place
• having your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace
• picking up the shield of faith which will put out all the flaming arrows of our enemy
• the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God
• and praying
It’s full on war! My arms and back start to ache from the push-pull-strain-throw of pulling weeds. Even though I have the right tools to do the job … it’s not easy or fun. At all.
The battle of life can wear on us – even though we are fitted with this spiritual gear, warriors spend their energy being relentless, moving forward … and ultimately need reprise and refreshment.
As we lean in close to the Father, we hear His heart and help through His promises to us.
There was a prophet called Isaiah, who also leaned in close, and asked to hear God’s heart beat. In the 40th chapter of his book, Isaiah mentions that even young people can grow weary and tired and lose their way, and God’s understanding of our life-situations and wear goes far beyond what we can even fathom. His love pulls us in and builds us up.
[God] gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:25-31, especially verses 29-31 )
You know, sometimes in dandelion season I find myself wishing that the season of weeds was over. Who doesn’t? It’s a lot of aching work. I want a break!
But one thing is for sure – at the end of that season, my back and arms are stronger for the work. I look out after weeks (or the whole summer, depending on if it’s a super-weed-growing-kinda summer), and realize that I have cultivated something in my yard. And also in myself.
The decision to not give up and to keep at it, even though I haven’t loved it, opens my eyes to see that faithfulness of character, just like weed pulling, is grown through actively and persistently putting my hand to the task at hand and not giving up.
Being relentless with the Victor on the inside of us!
“With God’s help, David wrote in Psalm 18:29, “I can advance against a troop, with my God I can scale a wall! You keep my lamp burning; my God turns darkness into light!”
This is ancient battle-speak for warrior fighting, climbing impossible heights and inviting the Light of God’s presence to fill and push out negative thoughts and mindsets – this a set-up for victory. The starting point of everything good!
I don’t know about you, but whatever new seasons I find myself in, I need to reach out to God, and open up to what He wants to pour into me, through His word and His truth.
Whether it’s weeds in my lawn, or weeds in the people around me, God has true strength and tools for me. He starts by filling me up on the inside – He infuses my spirit with His Divine strength and fills my hand with His spiritual weapons – and by His grace, no matter what battle wages on around me His plan unfolds in real time.
The cycles and seasons of life, with the lessons and strength building – we are not just going through these seasons, but we are growing through them. What are the weeds in your life? I encourage you to look ahead with the full assurance that no matter what season you are entering or leaving behind, God’s hope, love and faithfulness will meet you and bring you vibrant life, no matter where you are.
Copyright (c) 2019 Jennifer Bryant-Choong. All Rights Reserved.
