What's Growing in Your Garden?

I'm on a fruits of the Spirit diet lately. Metaphorically, of course.

In my few years of gardening, I've learned some life changing things about the garden of our own hearts.

I woke up one morning, overwhelmed with worry and fear. I'd been living in a place in life where I allowed my shortcomings, my weaknesses, my fears and doubts about my future to define me. I thought about my garden. For some reason, weeds grow at a much more rapid rate than the crops that you actually desire to grow. And isn't that true in our lives as well? Doesn't the tiniest thought insecurity and fear spread like wildfire throughout your body when you allow it? (Galatians 5:9 A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough)

"Weeds" in the garden of your heart can be overwhelming. Sometimes I live in this place where I'm so focused on all the weeds that I need to purge from my life, that I forget to focus on the fruits. I forget to tend to the crops that actually yield good fruit, and I allow the weeds to choke out the good. God calls us to live in the light of His Glory. Look to His face, and His glory and goodness will shine on the weeds in your heart and in His light, they will shrivel and die. We are called to tend to the fruits. Ask the Holy Spirit to pour into you so that His fruits may flourish.

It's good to identify things in your life that need to be purged or weeded out, BUT don't live there, don't stay there. Jesus will change you if you allow Him! It's a process, a sanctifying, purification process and it takes time. Tend to and focus the crops you want to yield in your life instead of focusing on the weeds that you want out.

"Today, Lord, I have complete belief in the process of growth. I don't expect a gold metal after the first lap" - Bill Speight.


Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things (Philippians 4:8)