Tending Your Spiritual Garden

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:8, ESV

Jesus often used examples from agriculture because it was something that his audience related to. I’ve discovered for myself over the years spent in the yard and garden that there are indeed many parallels between tending a terrestrial garden and tending our own spiritual garden. Some of them are:

Tending the garden takes time and effort. You can’t simply plant seed and walk away. Weeds need to be pulled, plants thinned and trimmed, critters and diseases need to be dealt with, soil needs to be reinforced and the garden needs to be watered. Likewise, tending our spiritual life takes time and effort. We don’t pray the prayer of salvation, get baptized and then walk on. We have to work at applying the things God has given us for a successful walk in order to keep our life growing and fruitful

If we don’t take care of our garden, instead of vegetables, fruit and flowers we’ll soon have a tangle of weeds and volunteer interloper trees and bushes. You may work hard to cooperate with the Spirit to ‘clean-up’ your life, but if you’re not vigilant, Satan will plant other things in your life. Spiritual weeds also come from the Flesh and the World. ‘When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” (Matt. 12:43-45, NIV)

There are jobs in the garden that we really need help with. Some of them just get easier with help, but some simply cannot be done without help. Having help often makes the job more enjoyable. In our spiritual life we also sometimes need help. We might not even see the need, but others who are outside looking in can sometimes see things we cannot. It is important to have someone who we trust speaking into our lives for things we see, and for things we don’t.

Here are some suggestions of things we can think about and do in order for our walk to thrive. (‘fertilizer’ for the garden.)

Contemplate the marvel of salvation. Take a fresh look at the amazing thing God has done through the sacrifice of Jesus. “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge” (Psalm 62:6-7 NIV)

Recall the confession of our heart and lips, and what that means to our lives. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Tim. 6:12 NIV)

Through prayer we should give our concerns to God, and intercede on behalf of others. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6 NIV)

Foster a grateful heart. Salvation is huge, but we should remember the other blessings we’ve received from God, and give him thanks. “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:16-17 NIV)

Take time to worship. We should express our appreciation of the wonderful character of God, His power, love and grace. “I will sing of your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise.” (Psalm 101:1 NIV)

Encourage others. As they say, ‘catch people doing well and tell them about it’. But also we should be available to lift them up when they are in a tough place. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thes. 5:11 NIV)

Put on the armor of God. We need to take-hold of the resources God has provided for protection and growth. “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:11-12 NIV)

Reflect on what fruit our life exhibits. What’s good, what isn’t so good, or what’s missing altogether? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Gal. 5:33-23 NIV)

Do you have other suggestions for how we can tend our spiritual garden? Let me know what you think!

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