Fox Season in the Vineyard

Song of Solomon 2:15 (NKJV)
“Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.”

Sometimes it’s not the big storms, the obvious trials, or even the devil himself that steals our joy…
…it’s the little foxes.

You know the ones I mean…

Not actual foxes (although if you’ve ever tried to plant a garden in the country, that could be literal too), but those tiny, sneaky attitudes and habits that creep in unnoticed and start nibbling away at our peace, our fellowship, and our fruitfulness.

The quiet pouting…
The low-key bitterness…
The feeling that we’re somehow overlooked or unloved… despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

It’s funny how we can be surrounded by people who care, and still let a whisper of “nobody likes me” grow louder than the shout of God’s promises.

Sometimes, we don’t need to pray against the enemy… we just need to stop feeding the foxes.

Foxes like:
Assumptions: “They didn’t speak to me today… must be mad at me.”
Self-pity: “No one ever notices what I do.”
Silent comparison: “They’re always chosen. I’m always last.”

These little thoughts may seem harmless, but they sneak in under the fence of our joy. And before long, the vine of our spiritual life starts to wilt. Joy withers. Fellowship feels forced. Worship turns into worry.

That’s why the Bible calls us to catch the foxes!!
Not admire them…
Not pet them…
Not name them and invite them to stay…
BUT to… Catch them. Deal with them. Send them packing.

Jesus said in John 15:5 (NKJV):
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…”

You can’t stay connected to the Vine if you’re always distracted by the foxes.

And here’s the honest truth…. we all have foxes. They are probably in your life right now. They may work in your office or sit beside you in the classroom at school. And unfortunately, there is one in every church body from time to time… No one’s immune. One week it’s self-pity, the next it’s jealousy, then it’s offense because someone forgot to text us back. Life is full of little foxes just waiting to jump the fence and mess with your heart. But God gives us the grace, maturity, and discernment to stop them before they spoil what He’s trying to grow.

So maybe the prayer today isn’t “God, fix everybody else.”

Maybe it’s:
“Lord, help me catch the foxes I’ve let sneak in.”

Remember today…
You Are Loved! You are Prayed For! You Have been bought with a Price!

Blessings!
Pastor Jonathan W. Pannell III

Let’s Pray this Prayer Together Today:
Lord, help me to recognize and root out the little foxes in my life. The habits, attitudes, and thoughts that seem small but can cause big damage, the distractions that I have let get my attention, the distractions that are trying to pull me away, and the distractions I may have caused. Keep me tender-hearted, fruit-bearing, and focused on You! And if I start feeding a fox, Lord, please lovingly flip my plate over. Amen.