I hate yard-work and it shows. It’s all I can do to keep my grass cut. I’m not sure why I’m this way, but I’m just not one of those folks that loves to work in their gardens and lawns constantly. I once had some neighbors that worked seemingly 24 hours outside. Their lawns, shrubbery, and flowers were gorgeous and showed the fruits of their labor. As for me, I’m just content to do the basics. I have too much going on in my life to over burden myself with yard work.
Sadly, my Christian life has sometimes mirrored my garden life.
I’ve had those times where it just seemed like I was in a rut. I wasn’t growing. I wasn’t reading God’s word. I wasn’t bearing witness to others. I was just “tired” of being a Christian and all the work it required, or so I thought. There were times it was just easier to not put in the work to be a Christian. After a while of being miserable, I came to my senses and realized that there were three things causing my miserable State of Mind:
- I was idol and barren. I was doing nothing in my Christian life. In fact, it became a vicious cycle. The more miserable I became, the less I felt like making a change. Just like my flowers, lawns and gardens, I just really didn’t put forth any effort. I finally changed that attitude and began making changes. It wasn’t easy at first, but I stuck with it. I began reading God’s Word regularly again I began praying regularly, not just for me but for others as well. It was like getting reacquainted with an old friend.
- I was unfruitful and never worked to reach others. Gardens and plants, if watered and fertilized and weeded regularly will bear other plants and fruits. Our Christian life should be no different. The more active I became in my Christian Life, the more fruit I started bearing. I was able to witness and reach others in ways that wouldn’t have been possible before. I began caring more about others than myself. I became sacrificial instead of self-serving.
- I was blind Blind and forgot what God had done for me in the past. I found that I was marching through life complaining about things I shouldn’t be concerned about, all the time forgetting how wonderful and mighty God had been to get me to that point in my life. My Father-in-law grew up on a farm and constantly relied on his past experiences and what he’d been taught over the years, especially when he planted new crops. I suddenly realized that I needed to do the same thing as a Christian. I need to spend time reminding myself that God has never failed (me or anyone else) and that his truth, love, mercy, and kindness were the same always and today.
Where are you in your Christian Walk? Do you feel stale and stagnant, or do you feel alive and revived? If it’s the former, I challenge you to develop your “Green Thumb” in your Christian Walk by becoming active; bearing fruit; and remembering what God has done for you. I promise you’re new Garden will never be the same.
