There's Still Life in the Garden

If you keep up with my social media postings, you may be aware that I had attempted a garden this summer. Luke and I planted broccoli and green beans. The broccoli never even tried to come to fruition, but I did get a few green bean plants in. As was to be expected of me, I became negligent of my fledgling plants. Watering and weeding became very infrequent things. There was a week or two in the summer that we had scorching heat. By the time I made it out to the garden again, the green beans had turned brown and had a dry crunch. My garden was dead.

After that, I went weeks without going out to the garden. I kept noticing the weeds encroaching, overgrowing, but I just wasn't motivated to go out and cut back my wayward garden. Finally, I went out last week with a spray, intending to fatally douse every weed to make my work easier. I had spritzed half the garden when I saw it: one green green bean. I pushed aside other weeds and studied the growth. Six plants bore green beans. There was still life in the garden.

This moment was very exciting for me as an up and coming green thumb who had been feeling defeated, but it was also a moment that the Lord used to speak into my heart. I had given no thought or care to my garden in weeks, but God had been gently nurturing all six of my plants, keeping them in health and bearing beans.

I went to work at once and began ferociously weeding the garden. I tore out weed after weed, giving my plants the space to breath. I untangled roots, piled dirt to support the flimsy beans, and brushed away the bugs. After considerable time, I had six healthy plants standing proudly in their cleared dirt and a pile of weeds on the ground. I truly wish I had taken the time to do a before and after picture, because is this not a perfect example of the life of the believer?

In this day and age we are so often taken in by sin and buried in the lies of the enemy. We are lazy. How often have I entertained sin, telling myself that it "wasn't a big deal" or was different because xyz...? Too many. I have and still do, allow the weeds of laziness, envy, lust, selfishness, anger, and many more to encroach upon my heart and stifle the life within. Yet by His grace, there is still life in the garden of my heart. Much like Jonah, God doesn't leave me in my sinful state but calls me out, be it in grandiose measure like a giant fish or in the patient nudging of my heart. How blessed are we that He does this for us?

It made me think more broadly of the people I encounter, those I may judge as "not Christian" or those whom I may, to some extent, look down on as not being as "far along" as I am. I do not know anyone's fullest heart, not even my own. I know that I am not perfect and that none can be. I do know that sometimes, like the plants of my garden, all someone needs is for you to take the time to rip the weeds from around their heart that the life in the garden may burst forth unhindered.

I encourage you as you go forward to consider the weeds that are choking out the light in your own heart. I encourage you also to be patient with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ--work with them to weed out the sin that confines them, bearing with them in love.

Blessings,

Shaniah