Most people who know me well know that I enjoy gardening and working in the yard. It might make me sound pretty boring, but I LOVE watching things grow. The planting, watering, and weeding are all fine, but what really excites me is watching the progress of a plant get taller, stronger, branch out, and produce what it was made to produce. The process of it all just excites me, and I love getting to be a part of it.
It is also one of the reasons why I enjoy being a therapist. I love getting to watch people grow, and I feel blessed to be a part and witness the process. If anyone is my client for very long (especially during the spring and summer seasons) then chances are they hear me mention my garden. They may also learn that I love a good garden analogy. The Bible has a bunch- it is full of garden stories and parables. There are so many ways that gardens apply to our faith and our lives, but for this post, I want to focus on the importance of growing good things.
I have noticed that often when I work in my garden, I am focused on getting out the bad things. The weeds, the rocks, the bad bugs. Being aware of those things and taking care of those things are important, but if I spend too much time on them, I might miss the whole purpose of my garden. To grow food and flowers. If I lose sight of that, then I’m not going to be taking care of the plants that I want to prosper as much as they need, and they may suffer for it. I can take away all the bad things, but if I’m not giving my plants the things that they need to thrive (sunlight, water, and good soil) then they won’t do so well.
Have you figured out the analogy yet? Friends, our lives are like gardens. We can avoid all the bad things, but if we are not focusing on growing the good things in our lives, then we won’t have very fulfilling or fruitful lives. In Galatians 5:16-26 Paul gives us two lists: the fruits of the flesh, and the fruits of the Spirit. Both are incredibly important to know and be aware of. However, if we are only focused on avoiding the fruits of the flesh, that does not mean that we are producing the fruits of the Spirit. Living in a way that is just solely focused on avoiding the bad becomes legalistic, negative and fearful. Living in a way that is focused on producing fruit of the Spirit is fulfilling and abundant. So how do we focus on producing fruits of the Spirit? As I mentioned, plants need water, sunlight and good soil to grow. But it is also a supernatural wonder that those things combined with a seed becomes a living plant causes photosynthesis and cells to multiply and produce flowers that get pollinated and turn into fruit. If I take a rock or shoe or money or anything else other than a seed or plant and give it water, sunlight, and good soil, it will not grow. I do not have that power to make that happen, no matter how much I want it. We, as Christians, also can grow through reading and listening to God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers. But just like a plant’s growth, our own growth is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. I don't have the power to just produce patience (along with all the other fruits) on my own, but God gives me what I need and he gives me the tools that I need to help me grow.
Definitely weed the garden that is your life, and remove the things that are causing issues and keeping you from living a life connected to our Source of growth. But also be mindful to put into practice the things that help you to grow and produce good fruit. Read God’s Word, learn about his great love for you. Spend time connecting to him through prayer. And find a church body that encourages you and points you to grow in your love and desire for obedience to Jesus. Trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you and give you what you need to grow good things and produce good fruit.
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