I took my trimmer to cut a few weeds at my mom’s house. The dirt is still settling around the old cistern, so it can’t be mowed with the mower. The weeds are thick and tough – too tough for her handy trimmer. I like to trim; it feels productive. Its results are crisp and clean. So, I went to work.

It was a quick job. I had no problems until I reached a group of several thick-stemmed weeds. I had to hold the trimmer in the same place for several seconds to let the cord eat through each stem. One particularly stubborn stem messed with my trimmer line. I fixed it and tried again. Same results. I decided I’d just get pruning shears to take care of that one plant.

Then I realized I could at least attempt to uproot the plant. I thought it would be too strong, but it easily slipped from the ground when I pulled. The roots came up with very little effort. The process was easier than my earlier attempts…and more effective.

Sometimes we work a lot harder than we need to because we’re confident our approach works best. We get into a routine – sometimes a good routine – but it’s not always effective. We need to be willing to try other approaches. Sometimes what seems like the normal, expected way of doing things isn’t the most effective. Sometimes different approaches make something easier, and sometimes it makes them more difficult. Sometimes the end result is expected; other times it’s better than expected.

Uprooting what shouldn’t be in our lives is easier as we lean into God’s options and wisdom. He knows the most effective, timely approach.