Thickets, Thistles, and Thorns:
Spiritual Lessons from the Weeds
Thickets, Thistles, and Thorns
Caregiving for a loved one feels increasingly difficult these days, with no easy answers. It can leave us feeling helpless with little to no options, weighing down our hearts. As a Christian, I release these feelings to Jesus, the only One who can help in this situation. And for me, I utilize movement to handle the stress.
So to cope, I take exercise/worship walks along my road or the park behind our house. Nothing special—just movement, fresh air, gravel crunching underfoot, and my favorite songs singing along in my heart. But the more I walk, the more I notice the fallen landscape speaking.
Lost in the Weeds . . .
First come the thickets—gnarled, tangled branches crawling out of the woods and toward the ditch. A great place for the bunnies to hide! But how quickly thickets like this take over when left untamed, and road crews are needed to trim them back.
I think about how easily life can get tangled: a crowded mind full of emotion, a confused heart running away, sins creating a need to hide, distractions we don’t notice until we’re stuck in their midst.
Lord, what’s growing in me that You might want to prune back? Remind me amid the mess that my safest hiding place is always in You.
Next up, thistles—thorny weeds popping up where wildflowers should be. Ugly, stubborn things that can grow quite large! And don’t even try to pull them without your gloves…those thistles contain stickers that hurt!
Thistles remind me of bitterness that takes root if I’m not paying attention, or comparison, or envy. Even everyday worries and concerns that overtake my joy. Thistles don’t bear fruit—they choke it out. Jesus spoke of these weeds in the parable of the sower (Matt. 13:22).
God, don’t let these things rob my fruitfulness. Dig them up by the root. Help the difficulties and problems not steal my joy.
When I got back, I pruned my rosebush—and yes, got pricked by a thorn, right through my protective gloves. (Honestly, why do they make those anyway if they don’t work on the thorns? Ouch!)
As I winced, I thought about the crown of thorns Jesus wore for us. The pain of our fallen world—loss, betrayal, wounds we can’t explain—He knows it. He bore it. Even now, He offers healing in place of pain, beauty for ashes, joy for mourning (Is. 61:1-3.)
Jesus, thank You for stepping into this world and for taking the thorns for me. You understand our hurts, feelings, and failures. Yet you still love us. Thank you.
Awaiting The Gardener
My walks always speak to my heart. Creation may groan under the weight of sin (Rom. 8:22), but it also whispers of a greater redemption to come. Someday, the Gardener will restore every thicket, thistle, and thorn, and this speaks to my feelings of helplessness and grief. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Until then, I keep walking, noticing, and letting Him do His work in and through me—pulling weeds, healing wounds, clearing my tangled thickets.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Rom. 8:22-23, ESV).
For Quiet Worship this Week:
Enjoy Psalm 23—The Acoustic Bible by Jonathon Burna
*Photo by Ann Sipos on Unsplash
**All other photos from Jen Niemann’s walks!
Thank you for the warnings about those things that can choke out the Word and our walk.