God’s gift . . .
Continuing to Grow Your Spiritual Heart
“The Lord will guide you continually,
giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.”
Isaiah 58:11
Our hearts and souls require constant attention, nurturing, and care . . . just like gardening requires maintenance—watering, fertilizing, mulching, and pulling weeds . . . At times, the work is overwhelming . . . The life of a believer is like that too . . . We joyously fall in love with Jesus, with His Word, and with becoming more Christlike . . . Everything looks wonderful and beautiful—until the maintenance comes . . . Staying faithful challenges us . . . Temptations distract us . . . And worries and difficulties threaten to overwhelm us . . . To keep the garden of our heart beautiful, productive, and well-watered, we must work together with Jesus, the Master Gardener . . . Sometimes, that work can cost us time, comfort, and pain . . . but Jesus makes all the work worthwhile.
Gardening mirrors the human soul . . . Remember, Jesus used the analogy of agriculture, planting, etc. because that’s what people understood—it was part of their daily lives . . . We can still embrace those similar concepts as we seek to grow our spiritual lives—continuing to develop a heart and soul for God.
First, keep in mind that what you water, grows . . . The parts of our walk and relationship with Christ that we pay attention to expand, while the neglected areas wither . . . Ultimately, the areas of our lives that we pay attention to GROW . . . The areas of our lives that we don’t nurture DIE.
We also need to accept the cycles and seasons of life . . . Just as spring follows winter, there are seasons of dormancy and blooming throughout our lives . . . We learn to adapt, surrender control, and trust that growth has its own timing . . . How often have you attempted to plant an idea at the wrong time? . . . Our walk with Chris is a constant battle between our desire to do things NOW, versus waiting for the right time—GOD’S TIME.
There is also a need to “weed” regularly in our lives . . . Weeds are deceptive . . . You won’t notice them starting . . . Yet much like sins or toxic habits, if weeds are not nipped in the bud, they will quietly choke out the good and steal all your energy . . . Don’t wait for “weeding day” because it’ll mean a lot more work and the weeds may have already gotten out of control . . . It’s the same idea in our walk with Jesus . . . we have to weed out sin before it becomes habit . . . Confession and repentance can’t be saved for Sunday.
And then there’s pruning . . . pruning can be painful but it’s vital . . . Cutting away dead branches allows a plant to thrive . . . Spiritual pruning allows us to release unhealthy attachments so we can bear more fruit.
A Side Note: Distinguishing Between Pruning and Attack
Pruning and attack can look similar on the surface—something is lost, closed, or stripped away . . . But the heart behind it and the fruit it produces are very different.
Look at the Fruit . . . When God prunes, even though it hurts, the end result is growth . . . There’s more peace, more joy, more Christlikeness . . . When the enemy is stirring trouble, it often leads to confusion, despair, or temptations that pull you away from God.
Check the direction of your heart . . . Pruning will draw you closer to God . . . You might feel the sting of loss, but you find yourself leaning into His presence and His Word more firmly . . . Attacks from the enemy tend to create fear, doubt, or distance between you and God if left unchecked or unrecognized.
Notice the pattern . . . God’s pruning is purposeful . . . He intentionally cuts back good things to make way for better fruit and long-term spiritual health . . . The enemy, on the other hand, thrives on chaos . . . His rejoices in relentless pressure, accusations, or temptation that distract you from your calling.
“When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth.”
John 16:13
No matter what is going on in your life, seek the Holy Spirit’s confirmation . . . Pray and ask the Lord for wisdom . . . He will be faithful, giving discernment and peace when something is His work, even if it’s hard . . . If unrest or confusion lingers, it may be spiritual opposition.
Remember . . . Pruning feels like loss but leads to life . . . Attack feels like destruction and aims to steal life . . . And be aware that sometimes God will prune you to protect you, moving you away from the source of attack in your life . . . He will release you so that you can become more spiritually healthy, at peace, calm, and free to move forward for His Kingdom.
“‘The thief comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that [you] may have life,
and that [you] may have it more abundantly.’”
John 10:10
INSIGHT . . .
We live in a world of constant measuring and comparing . . . being told constantly that “bigger is better” . . . This attitude can actually poison and discourage us from doing small things . . . We can’t donate hundreds of dollars, so we don’t give $10 . . .
We don’t have thousands of followers, so we don’t speak up . . . We don’t have time to go on a mission trip, so we don’t serve.
Little is much in the hands of our big God . . . Trust God with small acts of obedience and watch your impact grow . . . Spiritual growth may start small, but God can multiply simple obedience into lasting impact . . . It might start small, but with God it doesn’t stay small . . .If you’ve found yourself discouraged from taking small steps for Jesus, remember the mustard seed.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed
that a man took and sowed in his field.
It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown
it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree.”
Matthew 13:31-32
What you plant is what you get . . . If we want good things to come out of our lives, we need to put good things in . . . We can’t expect to reach spiritual maturity without spending time in spiritual disciplines, spending time with other Christians, and listening to the guidance of the Holy Spirit . . . Good fruit doesn’t just magically appear.
It’s the same for bad fruit . . . Many people aren’t happy with where their life is taking them . . . Is this you? . . . The challenge is to stop sowing sinful things and allow God to plant the Holy Spirit in you . . . Believe the gospel and put your faith in Jesus . . . Don’t expect apples while you are planting oranges.
“You will always harvest what you plant.
Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature
will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.
But those who live to please the Spirit
will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Galatians 6:7-8
Spiritual growth doesn't happen overnight . . . It requires faithful, unseen disciplines in the dark to weather the storms of life . . . There is no such thing as instant growth . . . The 21st century has spoiled us with the ease, convenience, and speed of every facet of our lives . . . But there is one thing that we can never rush—Spiritual growth . . . The patience we practice and learn throughout our lives strengthens us, because real growth takes time, and the harvest comes in God’s time . . . Don’t give up . . . Just keep your focus on Christ, and move forward one step at a time.
“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good.
At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”
Galatians 6:9
How do we know we’re growing? . . . Regular self-reflection can help, looking for signs that your soil (heart and soul) is healthy, and your roots (relationship with Christ) are deepening.
Are you more patient today than last year?
Do you respond with more kindness?
Are you spending more time talking with and listening to God?
Are your thoughts more aligned with Scripture than before?
INVITATION—TO TALK WITH GOD . . .
The church should not reflect pop culture—but portray godly attributes.
(Billy Graham)
How can we continue to grow a deeper heart and soul for God, if we insist on living within the boundaries of current worldly attitudes? . . . We’ve become experts at blending in . . . There will always be a temptation to become more like the culture around us . . . to follow what’s popular . . . to soften or ignore what’s uncomfortable . . . to adopt worldly values in an attempt to be relevant to the people around us . . . But that’s not what God desires for us!
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Then you will learn to know God’s will for you,
which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Romans 12:2
Culture changes, but God’s character does not . . . The world doesn’t need more of the same . . . People don’t need another version of what they already have . . . They need Christ! . . . We need Christ!! . . . And the world needs to see Christ in us—God calls us to stand out and when we reflect Christ—His love, holiness, humility, grace, and truth—we show the world something different . . . We need to be willing to shine the Light of Christ, to be willing to make a difference in the darkness.
So, look at yourself and your priorities . . .
Are you a “How-do-I-become-more-like-the-culture-around-me” kind of person?
. . . or are you asking yourself, “How can I become more like Christ?”
Remember, God is in the driving seat . . . He is still in control, even when the world around us feels out of control . . . Things don't always happen easily or instantly in life . . . We need to be patient and trust God and His timing.
How are you doing this week with trusting God? . . .
Is something getting in the way? . . . Is the world getting in the way?
It’s time to slow down and talk with God,
to ask His guidance where you need help.
Don’t forget that life has its own seasons . . . Embrace, understand, and accept the cycles of life as you navigate through good times and challenging times . . . And rather than fighting a changing season, learn to look for and appreciate the beauty in each phase.
Where have you seen God’s hand at work around you today?
Where have you seen something beautiful and unexpected,
and realized it comes from God?
We cannot control everything, as much as we would like to . . . We need to learn to adapt to challenging circumstances and let go of things beyond our control . . . Have faith in God, because His ways are not our ways—that is a good thing . . . Learning to be resilient and dependent on Him helps us overcome hardships and difficulties, and keep moving forward . . . Be willing to grow, learn, and embrace the possibilities for positive transformation through Christ.
Nurturing, encouraging, and cultivating gratitude helps us shift our perspective towards Jesus and helps us find joy in the present moment . . . Trust in God's timing . . . surrender control and have faith that things will unfold as they should . . . God's timing is perfect and He is working everything for your good
What calling God has placed in your life in this season?
What is competing with that calling for your time and energy?
What spiritual practices can help you nourish your calling?
ILLUMINATION . . .
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside,
somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.
Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.
(Anne Frank)
Everywhere I have lived has included the presence of petite, tiny birds with their rapid beating wings hovering over a feeder or plants they love . . . HUMMINGBIRDS . . . Measuring 3-5 inches long (many weighing less than a penny), their hearts can beat up to 1,200 times per minute and their wings move in a figure-eight pattern, allowing them to fly forward, backward, sideways, and upside down . . . Watching these tiny creatures buzz around actually helps me slow down and appreciate God . . . Wow! How God came up with that creation is incredible.
Often, in order to grow, we need to slow down and allow our bodies and minds to catch up with our hearts and souls . . . We feel the emotions, warmth, care, and love of the Lord deep within, but at times forget to let our minds accept and be aware of His presence.
I want to encourage you to “slow down” and observe nature for a few moments, with any and all of your senses . . . (it may be too hot or cold to go outside, but time standing at a window can help too) . . . Slow down your breathing . . . Renew and refresh your focus to God’s creations in front of your eyes . . . Let God in, so that your mind can catch up with your heart and soul and you can “feel that all is as it should be.”
INSPIRATION—PRAYING THROUGH MUSIC . . .
Music is God's gift to man,
the only art of Heaven given to earth,
the only art of earth we take to Heaven.
(Walter Savage)
I encourage you to take time to listen to any or all the songs below . . . there is no right or wrong style of music—it is what speaks to you . . . listen to the melody and the lyrics and feel the response of your heart to what God wants you to hear . . . and I do understand that music doesn’t speak to everyone . . . and that is okay too.
♪♬♪ Current . . . No Fear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuRyo5SyLcg&list=RDiuRyo5SyLcg&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Praise & Worship . . . This is the Air I Breathe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn73ZSd61bM&list=RDPn73ZSd61bM&start_radio=1
♪♬♪ Traditional . . . In the Garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-YUJN5qmCU&list=RDW-YUJN5qmCU&start_radio=1
INTO EACH DAY AHEAD . . .
Throughout our lives, we have little control over God’s mystery of growth, but that doesn’t mean that we’re not involved . . . We sow and water—we hope and pray . . . And then we rightly give God praise for the harvest.
“Watch how the plants always grow toward the light.
That’s what faith is like — keeping yourself turned toward God
even when the path isn’t straight.”
(Jennifer Rose)
God’s is forever present with us . . . since the beginning of time right into our lives today . . . Here are a few reminders of the awesomeness of our Creator from “Lessons Learned from Jennifer Rose from Her Grandmother’s Garden” . . . Each is worth contemplation—then hold on to the ones that touch your heart and soul . . . and let your heart and soul grow with God.
“God’s first temple was a garden.”
“Gardens and faith need tending.
You can’t just show up on Sundays and expect things to grow.”
“Sin is like weeds. If you don’t deal with it early, it takes over everything good.”
“Faith is like seemingly lifeless soil.
Just because you can’t see what God is doing
doesn’t mean nothing’s happening underground.”
“Like the liturgical year, there are seasons for everything in faith.
Sometimes it’s Easter joy, sometimes it’s Lenten sacrifice.”
Our faith needs daily attention, patience, and trust in unseen things . . . Growth often happens in silence and darkness, and the most precious fruits often come after the hardest seasons . . . Most importantly, God’s lessons are written not only in Scripture but also in creation, including in the soil beneath our feet, waiting for us to kneel down, dig in, learn, and grow.
Heavenly Father - Sustain us through all seasons of spiritual growth in our lives.
Show us how to appreciate the miracle of transformation at Your hands,
teaching us about Your power to bring life
from even the most hardened hearts and dormant souls.
Help us cultivate our gifts and to weed out all that hinders our flourishing,
that we might better fulfill the callings you have for each of us. —Amen!
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