A furious line of thunderstorms pounded our area this week. Windows left open meant the carpet was as soaked as the lawn. Rained-out soccer games provided a bit of unexpected free time—which, for me, means time to garden.
Between newly planted tomatoes and basil, plenty of weeds were flourishing. Rain encourages growth—of everything. But the rain had done to the ground what a pulsating shower does to sore muscles—loosened and relaxed it. The earth, soft and moist, can’t cling as tightly to the weeds, so the best time to pull them is after a storm. I gently uprooted many varieties of offending plants, was able to pull up much more of the root than I would have if the ground were hard and dry. And removing the root is the key to effective weeding.
So often, we forget the blessing of rain. We “save up for a rainy day,” but admonish naysayers by telling them, “Don’t rain on my parade.” In the Bible, rain is seen not as a curse, but as a blessing. That’s because the Bible was written originally to a people whose challenges in life included growing their own food in an arid climate. Survival was more important than parades, eating a higher priority than entertainment.
Often, weeds sprout just when other things are growing as well. And sometimes it’s hard to tell the weeds from the flowers. Fruitful accomplishments grow right alongside the weeds of pride. Faith can blossom even as doubt sprouts.
Jesus, when talking about growth of souls, said his Father was the gardener. How is your soul these days? Have you taken some time to see what’s growing there? When we go through storms, are we willing to invite the Gardener in to the mess, in order to do some weeding? Do we let life’s rains soften us and help us release our grip on that which looks like growth but actually chokes out fruitfulness in our lives?
Yes, weeds grow in the garden of your soul and mine; if only they were easy to spot! What sin has taken root—disguising itself as a flower? What challenges in your ministry or your relationships choke out healthy growth of good things? How easy it is to simply pull off the top of that weed, only to have it sprout up again and again. We need to get to the root level.
The Bible says “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). This list is not a to-do list, a series of hoops to jump through. Rather, it is a description of the result (the fruit) of the Spirit’s work in our lives. If we give the Spirit some room to work, this is what will grow in our lives.
The challenge then, is not to try really hard to be patient or loving; or to force ourselves to be joyful or gentle (as if we could force such things). Our challenge is to be willing to let the Gardener into our lives, to let him pull weeds of anger and pride, root and all, so that more fruitful things have room to grow. As Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Growth happens when we are connected to Jesus, when we give him access to our lives, when we open ourselves to the healing hands that pull up the weeds of selfishness, pride, anger, and fear that so easily sprout during those storms.
Some storms go beyond simply watering the earth—they wreak havoc, they cause pain. But even those things, which the evil one intends for destruction, God can use for good—if we let Him in. When those wild storms rip through our lives, He is with us and will restore us.
Spend some time this month praying in a garden—either your own or in a park. Notice the beauty, the growth, even the weeds. Ask God to show you what’s growing in the garden of your soul.
Keri Wyatt Kent is the author of six books, includingThe Garden of the Soul and Breathe: Creating Space for God in a Hectic Life. Learn more about her writing and speaking ministry atwww.keriwyattkent.com.
Copyright © 2008 Promiseland.
