By Doug Creamer
What Are You Growing?
A friend asked me the other day, “How are the weeds growing in your garden this year?” I was a little surprised by the question but then I laughed and said, “The weed crop is doing wonderful. I have lots of varieties growing and they are producing copious amounts of seeds.” My garden is actually growing well this year and we are enjoying some tasty treats.
There are problems in the garden every year. This year it has been so hot that I don’t want to go out there and work on the weeds. The dry weather hasn’t helped either. I have watered my garden but that didn’t help the corn. I pulled some the other day and the ears were small but the corn looked pretty. When I tried to eat it off the cob it was dry and not very tasty. We creamed some of that corn and that was better.
Weeds can be a problem in both the vegetable and flower gardens. I have sprayed some of the weeds and others I have pulled, but when the weather gets so hot I want to stay inside. Weeds need constant attention and they seem to grow and flourish under all kinds of conditions. The vegetables and flowers that I want to grow are struggling with the hot and dry conditions. I wonder why the things I want take so much effort and the things I don’t want seem to do well even when neglected.
When you stop and think about it this applies to many areas of our lives. Staying physically fit takes time and effort. We have to be diligent to get out there and exercise because if we choose to stay in the nice cool air conditioning lots of lazy bad habits will develop. I haven’t been out walking as often with the high heat and humidity, and it’s easy to talk myself out of going out for walks, which I know are good for me.
It applies in similar ways to our food intake. Summertime is a great time for salads with all the fresh stuff around. With the news of a parasite on the loose I have been a little cautious of eating salads until they figure it out. Eating the things that are healthy becomes challenging. A cookie sounds better than an apple, right? Things out of our gardens should be safe, let’s eat those good things while we wait for the parasite problems to go away.
These same things apply to our spiritual lives. It is easy to skip reading the scripture or to decide to pray on the go. Our spirits need the intake of reading the Bible and the connection with God through prayer. When we choose to skip quiet time with God we will grow a little weaker and become more disconnected.
Time is a precious gift from God. We need to think about how we use this gift. We can fill our time with all kinds of unspiritual things quickly. There is nothing wrong with enjoying watching TV or scrolling social media, but if we do that instead of spending time with God then we are starving our spirits. Like the weeds, it is easier to spend time with the TV, social media, or texting with friends. Our spirits need connection with God, and that happens best in a quiet place where we can hear His still, quiet voice.
I want to choose to grow spiritually and pull the time-wasting weeds out of my life. I am not suggesting that I am going to stop being on social media or give up TV, but I want to make choices about how I use my time. Saying no to the easy things, the weeds, will help me make a better connection with my Father. I want to hear His voice and let His love and peace permeate my life. Then I want to listen to His voice and do the things He wants me to do.
I want to encourage you to look at your life as a garden. Now consider what you are growing. When God walks through the garden, what will He find? Will there be fruit and vegetables, or will He discover weeds? Don’t feel guilty; we all have weeds that need attention. We all can work on cultivating a closer walk with Him. He loves spending time with each one of us because He loves us and He likes us. Take small steps and find little ways to connect deeper with God then watch how it grows. Happy spiritual gardening! Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com
