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July 19, 2021

 

Lessons from the Sunflower Patch

 

We have an extremely beautiful sunflower patch blossoming on the drove thanks to Jessica’s hard work (along with a little assistance from others). As the newly sprouting sunflower stalks began to grow, long before they were close to blooming, we sat on the porch one evening (or maybe it was morning) watching some deer nibble on the leaves. This led to sunflower patch phase two project, driving poles into the ground and stringing fishing line around the border of the patch to form a hedge of protection. My understanding of the concept is that because the line is clear and the tied-on bags or cloth appear to be floating the deer doesn’t realize what is present or that it can step over and so it doesn’t make an attempt.

 

As you may have already guessed, this seems to parallel for me the need we have to place a hedge of protection around our hearts and minds. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to “above all else guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life” and 2 Corinthians 10:5 says that “we demolish arguments and every pretense that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” It occurred to me upon reading that second scripture that it is a statement of action. We aren’t told that we reach a place where our thoughts become obedient to Christ it says that “we take captive every thought to make it obedient.” I don’t know about you, but for me sometimes that is a tall order. I have a lot of thoughts, many of which would not fall under the obedient to Christ category on their own. In fact, often times they are more rooted in my humanity than in my spiritual being and so if I am to walk successfully bearing the image of Christ, I must make the choice to take the action of taking captive those pesky thoughts. 

 

For example, discouraging thoughts. There are so many things that can lead to thoughts of discouragement. I mean if I’m honest, in my natural self those buggers are there daily – or more accurately a bazillion times daily. We can become discouraged by difficulties, every little bump in the road, the way people do or don’t react to this or that according to our plan, the way God does or doesn’t respond in a manner that we think He should, and the list goes on and on. In this walk of faith that we are on, and we are all on a walk of faith as Christ followers, I sometimes find it hard not to get discouraged when my vision is blurry, and the “issues” come one after another sometimes at a pace that can almost take the wind out of my sales if I let them. 

 

Because I am keenly aware that we have an enemy who seeks to discourage I have learned, and not the easy way, that if I want internal peace I must participate daily (a bazillion times a day) in the action of “taking captive every thought”, because when I don’t, I am toast and worse my witness is burnt toast – or perhaps more fitting, nibbled sunflower stalks. I have recently had the revelation that this mindfulness of thoughts is a choice of focus. If we believe what we say we believe as Christ followers than we believe that God is always at work and always has a plan that in fact has been at work since before we were formed, and so we must choose to focus on that along with His countless blessings and faithfulness to us. 

 

I know that we are where God has called us to be and we see many, many things that continue to affirm that (as I have shared previously); however, life is still life and things that can lead to discouragement still happen. Maybe they are attempts by the enemy to waylay our call or maybe they are just life, but either way they can interfere with our effectiveness if we allow them to. Those things have been a part of our life on the drove along with all the positive things, but in this season, I have been actively “taking captive thoughts” in a new way. Each time something is pressing in on me I stop and think about several things that are marvelous in an attempt to “flip the script” as they say. In complete honesty, that doesn’t always change or remove the thoughts of discouragement, but it does cause me to sort what is my reality in Christ. Which in turn leads to making proclamations of truth in faith rather than fully entertaining the potential for discouragement, and that method has led to open eyes which allow me to see the hand of God at work in all circumstances – even the trying ones. Now don’t get me wrong, I know that my outward demeanor doesn’t always reflect the way I hope it someday will in those moments when I am inwardly struggling through the captivity of thought, but I am learning and I may not be where I want to be, but I am so much further than where I used to be.

 

And so, I leave you with this, put up your fishing wire my friends and actively monitor that line to make sure your hedge of protection is in place, and should your line snap like mine often does, no worries - God has an endless supply of line in His tacklebox. Until next time, pray for us as we pray for you.

 

~ Jen