Observations from Gardening

I feel like God teaches me some practical lessons every time I do a bit of gardening. Hope that doesn't sound too bizarre! It's like a workshop on tending to your soul. Here are my thoughts:

→ If you want to get rid of a weed, you have to uproot it. You have to dig beneath the surface, to it's point of origin which is unseen, and remove it entirely. It's exactly the same with sin. We can try and prune back our external behaviours, but really we must dig down and expose the root. Core beliefs, thought patterns, habits and idols.

→ The reason the weed is removed isn't just because we don't like that particular weed, but it's to create something much more beautiful in it's place. Our pursuit of holiness is tending to our soul like a well pruned garden. Over time, something very beautiful can developed.

→ Choosing not to tend to your garden does not prohibit growth. It just allows the wrong growth. The longer it's left unchecked, the more severe and extensive the weeds become. If our sin is left to develop, it will become more severe over time. We will become a mangled mess of thorns and thistles.