“But while everyone was sleeping, the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” (Matthew 13:25 NIV)
Now of course, we need to note Jesus’ meaning of this text. He’s talking about people. He explained to His disciples how the enemy sneaks in and plants weeds among the seeds. The result of this sabotage is bad growth amidst the good growth. Weeds absorb resources without contributing to the harvest. Jesus instructs His followers to let it all grow and allow the Him to sort it out in the end. These verses remind me of our personal responsibility as believers to tend to our own hearts because the ‘believer’ beside us may not be the real deal. We can only control what’s going on under our own skin.
Today I read this text and I noted how the enemy works especially hard at night. He sows weeds in the dark, when we are tired and our defenses are down. It seems our adversary carries out his most menacing labors when the lights go out. I wonder, was it evening in Eden when he whispered doubt into Eve? This is most interesting to me because I have struggled with nightmares and evening anxiety much of my life. Today’s scripture brings some light in coping with midnight fright. Our thought life gets challenging when the shadows grow long. For me, this is when the enemy sneaks on end plants distraction, disruption and doubt. How do we combat his gorilla warfare tactics?
Be aware of the timing. Know that night thoughts are rarely accurate. Realize your defenses are down and don’t allow evening fears to frame your reality. Be willing to say “I’m not going to solve this tonight, I’ll revisit it in the light of day when I’m fresh.”
Know the attack is brutal but brief. Time warps in the night, so the fourth watch feels especially long but in reality, no night is more than eight or so hours. We can endure almost anything for a little while. Recognize that the enemy’s window for deceit is short-lived. Morning will come. Mercies will be new once more.
Take your thoughts captive. Get up if you need to. Read your Bible until you are sleepy. Turn on worship music. Pray in the Spirit. wake your spouse and pray together. Recite memorized scripture. These are all tactics I have employed to put a more secure fence up around my mental field.
Sort it out with scripture in the morning. Start the day with a solid devotional habit and take time to address the thoughts that plagued you in the night. Let the Spirit lead you to verses that reinforce truth. Memorize those scriptures so that the next time the enemy comes tromping through your field, you are prepared to defend your territory far more effectively.
“I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.” (Psalm 3:5 NIV)
Lord, please help us guard our fields even as we sleep. Strengthen us as we set up fences of scripture. Assist us in identifying weeds from seeds. Comfort us when we feel afraid in the night. Console us with Your presence and truth. Amen.