Trusting God the Gardener

I love gardening. I find it so relaxing. I enjoy planting seedlings in small pots and watching them grow under the sunlight. As they grow, their roots start filling up their pots… they to need more room to grow so I upgrade them to a bigger pot, more suitable for their needs. Sometimes they immediately accept their new habitat really well. It appears that they stand taller with their branches spread out even more looking happy and confident. I believe they’ve determined right away to allow themselves to grow, reproduce and fill this new container, looking forward to the day that they can move on to the next glorious pot. They’ve learned to trust me and my hands with their lives.

Then I have more temperamental plants that don’t do so well when I transfer them to their new pot. It seems to be that they are putting up a fight and rejecting where I have planted them. They don’t care that I’m trying to allow them to expand and bloom. It’s depressing to be around them because their leaves and branches droop looking sad and wilted, angry that I messed with their roots. They refuse to accept that their time in that old pot is up and it’s time to move on to bigger and better things. I wish they would understand that I know what’s best for them.

So here they are in this bigger pot, mad as ever. I guess they were accustomed to their old pot and became complacent and content there. However, I can’t have that in my garden. If my plants refuse to fulfill their purpose to reproduce and help beautify my home then I really don’t have a need for them. Although I get a little frustrated, I patiently and lovingly nurse the plant back to health. Eventually some accept my will and care, adjust to the new pot, and go one to become beautiful plants. The stubborn ones just give up, reject me completely, and die.

I believe that we are part of God’s garden where he loves, nurtures and waters us with His Word and the Holy Spirit. He prunes us of those dead and useless habits and strongholds that hinder our growth and ability to produce good fruit. He plants us where we are currently so that we can beautify our surroundings and bear much fruit, the fruit of the Spirit, for others to see. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit”. (John 15:16)

We have to trust our omniscient God and His direction for our lives. Where ever he has chosen to plant us we should willingly and confidently accept knowing that it is only a temporary place where we are to grow and produce good fruit. Once we have out grown this place then the Lord will take us to a new and better place where we can continue to grow even more. Let us remember that the Lord knows where we can grow best.

If instead we become temperamental and reject where God wants us to be then we will begin to resent His will and His way for our lives. Our countenance will eventually reveal our discontentment, anger, and resentment. It becomes apparent that we are no longer abiding in Jesus and His words. Our God the Gardener is left with no choice and must cast us out as a branch and we will wither. Then we will be gathered with all the other useless branches and be thrown in the fire and burned.

Trusting in God’s will and His Word is vital to our spiritual growth. Let’s never become complacent or too comfortable with where God currently has us, instead let’s be ready and willing at all times to go and grow in whatever new pot He plants us. (John 15:1-8).

Feel Like Giving Up?

Do you ever feel like enough is enough? You’ve been trusting and believing God’s words and promises to you, but you just feel like you want to give up. So do I! So do a lot of people who are going through trials and tribulations. However, giving up on God can NEVER be an option! “Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in Him” (Hebrews 10:38)

We must remember that His mercy and kindness endure forever and He will never allow us to go through these trials without helping us all the way. He is always faithful to comfort us when we need it. God is our refuge and strength. He is a very present help in trouble. Through patience and comfort of the scriptures we have hope. (Psalm 118, Psalm 46:1, Romans 15:4)

The test and trials that we go thru will cause different emotions to manifest at different times. When you are at the point where you just want to give up and throw in the towel anger may be the main emotion that you experience. You might begin to be tempted to give in to the thoughts of doubt that the enemy will put in your mind. He will try to play on this emotion of anger, so you have got to snap out of it quickly!

The best thing to do is to talk to our Lord about how you are feeling. Pray and cry out to Him. Psalm 57:2 says, “I will cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me.” So let it all out. It’s ok to tell Him that you are tired and ready to give up. It’s ok to say “Help me Lord. I am weak.” Be real with him because that is what He works with, your realness. When we humble ourselves before Him He will lift us up. Our Heavenly Father says, “MY grace is sufficient for you. MY strength is made perfect in weakness. If you will humble yourselves under my mighty hand I will lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on ME because I care for you.”( 2 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Peter 5:6-7)

We must learn to not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, to present our requests to God. Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Once we have prayed we are to begin to meditate on the truth of God’s word. (Philippians 4:8-9) It helps me when I remember that:

Ø God’s Word is Truth. He is not a man, that he should lie. His Word does not return void it will accomplish what He desires and it has purpose. (Psalm 119:160, Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 55:11)
Ø God will liberally supply (fill to the full) our every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Ø He protects us and never leaves us! (Psalm 91, 18:2, 121:3-8, Joshua 1:5)
Ø It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is His stability and faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

So let us not give up on doing good, trusting, and serving God because if we don’t quit we will reap our harvest. Stay focused and determined. Most of all stay prayed up and full of the Word. (Galatians 6:9)

Lord, Help us to keep pushing and praying. Let’s not give up because we know that our breakthrough is coming soon. You are our joy and hope. In Jesus name..Amen.

Pray For Them & Leave It in God's Hands

Sometimes we want to take things into our own hands when someone has hurt or offended us or someone we love. But the Lord says vengeance is His. We are called to pray for our enemies. Enemy seems like a strong word but an enemy is a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.

There are those that definitely try to antagonize me. I have learned and I am still learning to leave these types of people in God hands. If my God is for me who can be against me. I know that man can not do anything to me that God does not allow. I feel sorry for those who attack the children of God because he promises to crush our enemies. He also says that he prepares a table for us in the presences of our enemies. He will put them under our feet.

We must pray for our enemies and learn to forgive them quickly. Unforgiveness in our hearts will only turn into bitterness and resentment. It is ok to be angry and not sin. We will reap what we sow so remember that we are only hurting ourselves when we try to look for ways to get back at someone. It is best to allow God to deal with these individuals personally. All we have to do is talk to God about the hurt and the offense and trust Him to handle the situation.

As we begin to pray for those that persecute us God will begin to change our hearts towards these people. We will to learn to react in love towards them and we will have peace knowing that God protects us.

Matthew 5:44-48, Psalm 44:4-7, Psalm 23:5,

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We are not consumed

There are times that it seems like when it rains it pours. One problem after another surface. Obstacle after obstacle obstructs our view. It feels like I am about to be consumed with all of life's drama! Just when I feel weak and I can't take it any more God shows up right on time. He makes a way when there did not seem to be one. Several months ago I came across Lamentation 3:22-25. Just the other morning my mentor shared it with me again. It says,

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness." I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him. The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;"

We will NOT be consumed! No matter what forces come against us we will always overcome. Even though we feel like we are pressed on every side by trouble we are not crushed and broken because the Lord's compassion never fails. We can trust him. He is our strength. His Light is a lamp to our feet and gives us direction on our path.

I have seen His faithfulness and mercy in my life consistently. He never fails. Trust and see that the Lord is Good. He is waiting for you to surrender it all to Him. Then you will experience peace which surpasses all understanding and He will be faithful to protect your minds and hearts as you put your trust in Him.

Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

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