January 2025 - Weeding Weakness

"As with many of the dichotomies of leadership, a person's biggest strength can be his greatest weakness when he doesn't know how to balance it." - Jocko Willink

"Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." (John 15:2)

My church's theme this year is Grounded in Growing, and the youth group's theme is Next Step. While considering these themes, a point stuck in my mind. A key component for growing, whether it's plants, animals, or people, is to remove the bad and replace it with good: pruning. So for those who would like to grow and take the next step, we will have to put in the work to remove the bad in our lives. 

1. Assess: What weeds are in your garden of life? Ask a trusted friend, counselor, or leader what your weak area is. God says to "Exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." One area included in exhortation is constructive criticism. If you don't know what you're doing wrong, you cannot fix it. Some things can be seen more clearly from an outside viewpoint: a different perspective. That's where your peers, counselors, and leaders come in. If you're willing to listen, they can tell you what your area of weakness is, and then help you learn how to strengthen it.

2. Weed: Once you know what your weakness is, find ways to weed it out. Do a Bible study on it and apply the truths you learn. Memorize verses. Get accountability. Ask a friend to do a study with you. Find someone who struggled with the same weakness and overcame it, and ask them how what they did.

3. Plant: Don't just weed, plant. Every area of weakness is also your area of strength: Stating your opinion too freely can cause friction with others, but it can also be what clears up friction. Being a people pleaser can cause you to not stand for what you believe, but it can also help you help others. Being stubborn can cause a lot of issues with leaders, but it can also cause you to stand strong against pushovers. The strengths and weaknesses are counterparts to each other. So this month, learn your weakness, recognize the counterpart strength, then focus on developing the strength side while endeavoring to curb the weak side. 

Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (John 15:2)