Lessons while Weeding - Rooting out Satan's Lies

I live in the country. Weeds abound on our property. With summer drawing to a close it was time to empty out the overgrown garden plots (we have several raised garden boxes). I decided to work on one that we hadn't planted this year so all summer the weeds had flourished unhindered. They were deep, and it was a kind of grass weed where the roots are all deep and intertwined with each other. It was tough work using a pitchfork to get underneath and loosen things up and then pull and tug and tear and dig to get the roots out so it can be put to bed for the winter. I was covered in dirt and sweat. 

As I worked to uproot these noxious weeds a thought came to be about how Satan's lies are rooted in all of us. Some more than others. I thought about the lies that B's addiction to pornography has allowed to take root in him, some of which he has even tried to convince me of in the past. Some of which I believed. There are other lies that Satan has weaved carefully into our society that I have believed and some I'm sure I still do believe. 

It is hard work to uproot the lies that are planted in our hearts and our minds as truth. It took many years for me to really believe that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I am beautiful. I am beautiful because I can see myself as a daughter of God worthy of His love. I am beautiful because the Savior of the world sees me as beautiful. Satan is in a great battle for the hearts of the children of God. He is a liar. He is the father of all lies. I hate lies. I know that I don't want to let Satan enslave my heart with lies. I want to finish this life on the Lord's side, and be exalted on high and live with my God and my family forever. I know that the adversary is working hard for my heart and will continue to do so. However I won't let him have it. I might not be wise enough, strong enough, resilient enough to beat him on my own but the Savior is and He promised me help if I just humble myself. So, I will always strive to be humble enough. He can help me root out the lies, to identify them for what they are, and to seek truth and rely on truth and wisdom. It is hard work, just like pulling up those weeds. And just like weeding, the longer the lie stays in our hearts and minds the stronger the roots become and the harder it is to remove. But it is possible - we might have to have a some heavy duty tools to get the weeds out but Heavenly Father sent His Son to help us with just that. 

The last few years I have had some heavy duty tools working on my heart and mind to uproot some lies. It is painful and has been painful. There is more pain to come because I am imperfect. However, I choose the Lord. I choose humility. I choose to be seek after good things and truth. I choose to pull those weeds until they all come out and my garden is clean and the good seeds have not only taken root but have flourished.