How Satan’s Lies Are Like Dandelions

Beware of deep-rooted fears.

Have you ever tried to pull dandelions from a flowerbed after a soaking rain? I love pulling weeds from my garden after a rain. The air holds a fresh clean smell mingled with wet earth and peat moss. Most weeds slipped out easily without using a lot of energy. But dandelions—held tight even after the ground became saturated by a long slow rain.

I would gather the crown of leaves in my hand then work my thumb and index finger into the wet soil and pull straight up; ninety-nine percent of the time, I heard a snap as I felt the freedom of leaves attached to an inch of root release. What remains in the ground continues to live. Another green leaf didn’t appear for weeks but when it did it became even more challenging to eliminate. The root had gotten stronger. The leaves were larger and it grew faster.

My deep-rooted fear of not being enough appears like pesky dandelions.  I only think they are gone,  without eliminating the painful root they reappear again and again; waiting to ambush my wellbeing.

The seeds of fear planted by Satan are like destructive dandelions. The seeds can lie dormant for years before the perfect opportunity arises. Even a small piece of the taproot continues to grow upwards. Robbing nutrients from beautiful flowers the root grows stronger.

Watered by a few tears and fertilized by doubt “not enough” sprouts quickly with consecutive grey days. The seeds were planted by Satan when I was a child. In that fragile time when I was trying to discover who I was.

I wasn’t good enough to be loved.

I wasn’t smart enough to gain your attention.

I wasn’t fast enough to win the race.

No one wanted the looser on their team.

          The seeds of “not enough” sprouted in every spoke of my life; my friendships, my love interests, my family, my careers, my finances, my ability to enjoy, and my spiritual life.

          The tap roots carried with them a disease called depression. The void filled with darkness where nothing mattered. A dear friend told me I needed to get help; this darkness I was living in was not normal.

Who said I was ever normal—I am just not enough.

          I poured my heart out to God. Alone and afraid I had nowhere else to turn. The next day, somehow I found the courage to make some phone calls. I later told my therapist my mind would not release the knowledge I couldn’t get out of the void without help. After I made the appointment I went outside and saw a rainbow in the northeastern sky and I didn’t feel alone.

          After two years, I started calling my therapist my master gardener. Together we dug each root up and examined the lie feeding it.  It wasn’t easy, many times I wanted to avoid the pain of exposing the lie that hid the truth. Each time, the master gardener gave me a new seed to plant. Each one held a message from God. I believe God steered me to a therapist who was able to help me tear down and build up with God’s love.

Where dandelions once grew a field of beautiful flowers filled my heart. They all show God’s amazing love.

          I am loved more than I will ever know. I am created in His image and given a purpose. Jesus chose me to follow Him. He never gave up on me but pursued me until I found my way out of the dark hole. God delights in my joy.

          Friends depression is not something to be ashamed of. I know of several who are trapped in the dark hole. Recovery doesn’t happen overnight. If you know someone battling depression encourages them to find help. Like me, many people with depression feel no one can help them or they will never feel better again.  These resources offer many free options. You can also contact your church pastor for local suggestions.

Free Help can found  by calling  My Life My Voice https://mylifemyvoice.org                         1-800-448-3000​​

Text with a counselor for free with the following carriers: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Virgin, Cricket, Nextel, Boost, MetroPCS. (standard message & data rates may apply for other carriers)        Text VOICE to 20121 Every day, 12 Noon to 12 Midnight CST.

Or SAMHSA  Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/