August 15, 2020
Gardening brings me such joy. Seeing plants grow in the very soil that I dug up brings a lot of satisfaction.
Recently I planted several pansy starters. They came in a pack of 6, and they were just flowering when I got them. I even used a new handy tool that I saw on Pinterest that I attached to the end of my drill. It cut through the soil quickly, making a sweet hole for the seedling to nestle into. I could imagine planting many flowers this way and envisioned loads of blooms shooting up all over my yard.
But sadly, my lack of attention to these new little plants resulted in some withering and dying and weeds began to grow. Others managed to grow, but they were in a different part of the garden. Those that needed the attention were in the face of the harsh afternoon sun. This reminds me of the seeds that God plants in our hearts. When we neglect them eventually, that initial feeling of excitement and possibility vanish, giving way to the distractions of life like weeds in a flower bed.
When we neglect to spend time with God, we lose that excitement and joy we feel when we hear his word speak to us. Reading scripture every day is the nurturing we so desperately need. For our faith to grow, we need to water it and tend to it like the new seedlings in my garden. If we don’t, when tough times come, we abandon our faith and look for the world to quench our thirst.
Personally, I have experienced several hardships, and through each one, I know where I have grown and felt God’s joy. Through the ones where I leaned on God and his promises, the seeds of faith grew the most. I hid those promises in my heart, reading them each day, reminding myself of their presence, nurturing the soil they were planted in.
Joy came from some of my most recent hardships as I felt his peace wash over me like spring rain. However, in my early difficulties, self-reliance moved in like the weeds that plague my garden. I had neglected to spend each day with the Lord, instead choosing other things to fill my day to numb the pain that I was feeling.
I so want joy in my life even when it is the result of great pain. For that is joy in the purest form. It is Joy that comes from my Heavenly Father.
Dear Lord, you never promised us a life without pain when we chose to follow you. When pain and sorrow do show up, help us to turn to you and shelter under your wings. For you, promise us rest and strength during those times of great struggle. May we not forget that you are the Gardner of our life. And we thank you for pruning away all that is not helping but hurting our walk with you.
In Jesus Name, amen.
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