During this time of year when many of us are gardening, God revealed some things to me about gardening that we can apply to ourselves. It is like we have a garden growing on the inside of us. Like with any other garden, flowers sprout up as well as weeds. We must pull out the "weeds" in our gardens. These could be things like negative thoughts, ill feelings, and desires outside the will of God. As we weed out our gardens, the flowers can blossom to their full potential. Our "flowers" include the talents, gifts, and abilities that God has placed within us.
When we have a garden, we nurture it. We take care to keep out anything that does not belong there. We need to keep the same thing in mind as it relates to the garden within. We invest so much into our gardens that we don't want to allow any old thing to come in and overtake them. What are some things that we wish to keep out of the garden within? They might include things that Satan uses to try to distract us from our purpose. As we take care to keep out what does not belong in our gardens, we are setting healthy boundaries also.
Just like with the garden in your backyard, taking care of the garden within is a process. We must water the garden on a regular basis. And, what is so great is that we don't have to go it alone. We are reminded of this in the following scriptures:
James 1:21 (The Message)
"In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life."
Isaiah 58:11 (New International Version)
"The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden..."
Ann Gantt, Ph.D., LCSW
Counselor
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