We recently enlarged our chicken run which is now around 40’ x 40’. This involved taking down a fence and building a new one. It also involved digging up a lot of dog fennel. Now these are not your run-of-the-mill weeds. They get up to 6 feet tall and are about an inch in diameter at the base. Now it may seem simple enough to just cut them down, but if I did, they would grow back. I had to take a shovel, loosen up the soil around them, and then pull them up by the roots. This is labor intensive, but also necessary if you want to eliminate them. Sin is the same way in our life. We may be tempted to just stop the outward behavior, but we never deal with the roots. If we don’t, then chances are the sin will just become a cycle. You get rid of the sinful behavior by looking beyond the sin and seeing what the root of the problem is, and dealing with it. This can be done through Christian counseling, seeking God in prayer, learning from others who have been through the same or similar thing, and simply doing what God’s Word says. Now something I didn’t mention earlier. The best time to deal with the weeds is not after they have grown so big, but when they first start growing. Don’t put off weed-pulling when it comes to sin. It is easier to deal with sin as soon as it rears its ugly head. Other sins will pop up later, but get out your spiritual shovel and allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life. In the pen, the chickens had fresh dirt to find bugs and worms. In your life, someone will enjoy the new you, and your witness will grow. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.