I am putting in a vegetable
garden for the first time in my life. It
seems odd that I have waited this long to do a garden of my own because I
remember helping my mom plant green beans in the garden as a small child. It is one of my fondest memories of being
with her. I must have paid more
attention than I realize or I have some natural talent for it because planting
has not been as hard as I thought it was going to be. This garden plot has history because it has
been tended and has grown vegetables before.
It had grown over and was just lawn for many years but with the help of
a friend the ground was tilled and I began the process of getting the weeds and
rocks out. This is where another line of
thinking began to flow and I thought about how this garden is so similar to my
own life.
As I began working the soil with my
hoe to remove the clumps of weeds and grass and many rocks I thought about how
this soil is like my soul, which is my mind, my heart, and my conscience and
emotions. These weeds are like negative
thoughts that were planted in my soul and have taken root from harsh actions or
lack of care for me as I was growing up.
The rocks represent the obstacles that are in my life. The soil in this part of Missouri is a sandy,
rocky soil, being the eastern slope of the Ozark Plateau. Regardless of how deep you go in this soil
there are more and more rocks. How true
to life that regardless of how and to whom you are born into this world there are
obstacles that you will be a part of your life.
To care for my life-soil as I care
for this garden soil and to prepare it for planting so that it will be fruitful,
l I must remove the weeds and rocks.
Leaving others to tend to your soul isn’t effective and even more
damaging because they are not going to see clearly, nor how deeply some weeds
(negative thoughts about yourself) have grown into the soil. Only I can dig up the weeds so that the
planted gifts in my soul can get nourishment and begin to grow. Even I can’t
see clearly with my ambitions and emotions so strong when evaluating the damage
to my soul. What we can’t remove ourselves takes a master gardener. God is the
master gardener of the soil of my heart.
His Spirit can gently and precisely remove the weeds of negative
thoughts from my soul so that healing can begin. (1) The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, from His
crucifixion upon the cross, is able to completely heal those wounds to my soul
from neglect and abuse that only God can see clearly. (2) Leaving others to
take care of our hearts or ignoring them ourselves will result with weeds of
negative thoughts to grow wild in the soil of our hearts choking out any good
plant that would even try to grow.
Words do not need to be spoken to be
written upon a child’s heart: that you are not important, that you will never
be enough, that you are not loved or wanted.
Everyone has soul damage from those they have come contact with in this
world either intentionally or unintentionally. For some of us it is deeper than
others and more traumatic. Some us have
to work harder to remove the weeds that go deeper and we all need the work of
the Trinity to do what we can't do in our own might and what other powers
claim to be able to do.
I
was running out of daylight and wanted to get the dead weeds cleared before it
rained. I didn’t have time to see how deep some went or knock of the rich soil
that clung to the weeds. I had to do a
quick sweep away like we need to do sometimes when negativity is being poured
onto us by someone we have allowed to get deep into our lives. Sometimes you
can’t evaluate it and fix it immediately, but it is time to put up a boundary and
quickly put an end to the toxic words that are damaging your soul. This is
about protecting, nurturing, and growing a healthy soul with God given gifts in
it that will only flourish if tended to. It brings no glory to God to
allow others to mistreat you. It doesn't have to be done in a harsh or accusing
way. Others aren't responsible for how you feel. You are responsible for
how you allow others to affect you. Take gentle care of your soul and
trust the Master Gardener and establish healthy boundaries to get out the weeds
of negativity.
This piece is dedicated to the damaged souls of neglect and abuse who have never been heard.
1) Hebrews 4:12 King James Version (KJV)
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.
2) 1 Samuel 16:7 New International Version (NIV)
7 But the Lord
said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have
rejected him. The Lord does not
look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart.”
