Deal with Stuff!

  Last spring I had a pesky little dandelion spring up along the sidewalk to my front door. On several occasions I made the effort to bend over and pull it out, but I never seemed to get it all. I would get the yellow top and the leaves and even some of the root, but before long it would be back. I had other dandelions in the yard, but this one annoyed me to no end because it was along the walkway and I passed it repeatedly and so did everyone else who came to my house.

  I usually go in and out of the house through the garage and do not always use the front door. But when the yellow top would return to that dandelion, I couldn't miss seeing it even from the driveway. One Saturday when going out to the street to get the mail, I noticed it again. This time I called it a name as I passed on my way to the mail box. By the time I had gotten to the mailbox and picked up the mail, I was truly aggravated. Now I began to talk to myself on the way back into the house. "How long are you going to let this dumb weed beat you?" I thought. "What's one little dandelion!" I argued with myself. By the time I walked the ten yards back to the front door I had reached a resolve. Speaking to the dandelion I said, "I'm going to get you sucka!"

  Then I placed the mail on the sidewalk, kneeled down, and took out my trusty fake Leatherman I wore on my belt. After opening it to the knife, I began to dig and loosen the soil around the plant. This may have took me four minutes in all, but I parted the grass, dug down into the dirt, and pulled that weed out. I inspected it. This time I got all the root. I could see all the little rootlet hairs spreading out from the main root and it tapered off until the very end. There was no break in the root; I had gotten it all.

  I carefully picked the mail back up and reentered the house. As I stood at the kitchen sink congratulating myself, washing my hands, I thought I better remember to wipe off the front door knob, too. Then, after returning to the door and beholding the place where the pesky weed had been, I concluded that it had been worth the effort. I had to get down on my hands and knees. I got my hands dirty. I had to clean my tool and the doorknob. But, that dandelion was not going to bother me again.

  When things come up in life, the best thing to do is deal with them completely. Too often people give things cursory attention and never get to the root of the problem. That opens the door for trouble because unless you get to the root and remove it, it will come up again.

Hebrews 12:15:
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

  We must be diligently vigilant. God's grace never fails, but too frequently we fail to secure the grace of God that is available to us. Sometimes we are "just too busy" to deal with stuff. Sometimes we are "just too lazy" to bother with "little stuff." Oftentimes we just don't want to get our hands dirty or make the necessary effort that is required.
How do relationships between family and friends fail after they have been together for a number of years? A ROOT SPRINGS UP. How do we allow depression and discouragement to overwhelm us after living in the joy of the Lord for years? A ROOT SPRINGS UP.

  Roots are below the surface. We are too often concerned with what people see, and put a great deal of effort into presenting a good picture of ourselves on the surface for everyone to see, but what is happening in our hearts. If our hearts have roots of bitterness, resentment, anger, unforgiveness, etc., they will spring up. They will affect our relationships. They will affect our health. If you want to build solid positive encouraging relationships, you must root out any hurt and evil that would destroy them. If you want health and vitality, it will require you dealing with stuff and not letting hurts linger or take root.

  You can cover the garbage of your past, but that will not heal your heart. We may look so good on the outside, but what is going on in our hearts? What has taken root? Bitterness, resentment, and anger are all bitter roots. Don't let them remain. DEAL WITH THEM ACCORDING TO GOD'S WORD. That will require honesty… and forgiveness… and oodles of the grace and love of God.
Job told his miserable comforters, "But ye should say, Why persecute we him [Job], seeing the root of the matter is found in me?" (Job 19:28) Until we deal with the roots of our heart, our relationships will never be genuine, authentic, and gracious. Paul's prayer for God's people at the pinnacle of the greatest revelation ever given requests in Ephesians 3:17, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love." We want hearts rooted and grounded in love. Guess what will spring up then? You guessed it; the love of God will.

  It doesn't matter how good we look on the outside, if we are still haunted by hurts, pains, and problems on the inside. Deal with things as they come up: whether fair or unfair, whether kind or unkind. Speak your mind, confront problems, expose evil, and always remember that the love of God covers a multitude of sins. Forgive! FORGIVE! FORGIVE!

Hebrews 4:12-16:
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
¹³ Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

  When roots of bitterness spring up determine not to ignore them or deny them or try to hide them. We have a Word of God that is quick and powerful. We have a savior seated at the right hand of God making intercession for us. He is touched by our infirmities. So, let's go boldly to the Father in his name and find grace to help in time of need.