How many times do we marvel at new life, new growth, beauty, and then become content to just stay in that place? In life, in spiritual matters, in relationships? Here's the physical example that got me thinking about this. Here's the beautiful garden (well it was a few weeks ago--see previous blogs). If you look closely, you see that all the green is not necessarily a good thing. Between and all around the plants (and even in the middle of several plants) are weeds. Dandelions, thistles (that really do prick your bare fingers!), and others that I cannot name. But they are all coming up very QUICKLY and with big roots that are hard to get out! Below you will see 15 minutes of work, and only a very small patch cleared. Needless to say, I will have to work hard to keep my flowers from being overtaken. In the spiritual sense, I was pondering how often I begin to see God working in my life with new beautiful flowers and then instead of pressing in, and letting Him continue to weed out the junk constantly, I step back and just let the beauty be my focus, letting the rain refresh, but ignoring the thistle thorns and overshadowing dandelions that really have gotten to quite the large size. In my life, I am like this garden many times. And intentionally or unintentionally let the weeds come up around the beautiful flowers. How many times I wait until the weeds begin to take over before I go back and say "Okay, God, clean out the junk!" Why can't it be a constant process? Why don't I stay there when the flowers begin to bloom in order for them to be even better and not surrounded by distractions and evil rooting itself all around? I mean, it wouldn't take as long to stay weeded out if there were only a few weeds each time instead of a whole patch of overgrowth! And the results would be constant beauty. Well, these are just my ponderings, I really need to get out and work in the garden.
How many times do we marvel at new life, new growth, beauty, and then become content to just stay in that place? In life, in spiritual matters, in relationships? Here's the physical example that got me thinking about this. Here's the beautiful garden (well it was a few weeks ago--see previous blogs). If you look closely, you see that all the green is not necessarily a good thing. Between and all around the plants (and even in the middle of several plants) are weeds. Dandelions, thistles (that really do prick your bare fingers!), and others that I cannot name. But they are all coming up very QUICKLY and with big roots that are hard to get out! Below you will see 15 minutes of work, and only a very small patch cleared. Needless to say, I will have to work hard to keep my flowers from being overtaken. In the spiritual sense, I was pondering how often I begin to see God working in my life with new beautiful flowers and then instead of pressing in, and letting Him continue to weed out the junk constantly, I step back and just let the beauty be my focus, letting the rain refresh, but ignoring the thistle thorns and overshadowing dandelions that really have gotten to quite the large size. In my life, I am like this garden many times. And intentionally or unintentionally let the weeds come up around the beautiful flowers. How many times I wait until the weeds begin to take over before I go back and say "Okay, God, clean out the junk!" Why can't it be a constant process? Why don't I stay there when the flowers begin to bloom in order for them to be even better and not surrounded by distractions and evil rooting itself all around? I mean, it wouldn't take as long to stay weeded out if there were only a few weeds each time instead of a whole patch of overgrowth! And the results would be constant beauty. Well, these are just my ponderings, I really need to get out and work in the garden.
1 comment:
Great post Melanie. So true. Mulch helps :)
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