🌱 Life Is Like a Garden

There’s something about walking through a garden that speaks to the soul.
The air is full of life. Flowers lean toward the sun. Bees hum as they move from bloom to bloom. In the quiet, you can almost hear the plants growing.

One morning, I found myself in a friend’s garden. The rows of vegetables were tidy, the soil was rich, and everything looked so healthy. I realized right away—this didn’t happen by accident. The garden was the result of planning, planting, watering, and careful tending.

And it struck me: life is like a garden.

Our lives, like gardens, don’t just happen. They grow based on what we plant. Growth also depends on how we care for them. We must decide whether to allow God—the Master Gardener—to guide the process.

Preparing the Soil 🌾

Every good garden begins with good soil. But soil doesn’t prepare itself—it needs to be turned, loosened, enriched, and cleared of weeds.

In the same way, the soil of our hearts needs tending. Sometimes our hearts get hard, like packed-down earth. Sometimes they’re filled with weeds—things like worry, bitterness, or distractions—that keep us from growing in faith.

Jesus’ parable of the sower reminds us that seeds only thrive in good soil. Preparing our hearts with prayer, Scripture, worship, and time with God’s people allows the seeds of faith to take root.

Planting the Seeds 🌱

Seeds are small, but they hold the promise of something much greater. Every action we take, every word we speak, every kindness we show—it’s like planting a seed.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us: “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right. We will reap at harvest time if we do not give up.”

The truth is, not every seed sprouts right away. Some take time, hidden beneath the surface. But God is at work even when we cannot see it.

Watering and Nurturing 💧☀️

A garden needs water and sunlight. Our souls are no different.

Jesus tells us in John 15:5: “I am the vine. You are the branches. Apart from me, you can do nothing.”

We water our faith with prayer, worship, and Scripture. We lean into the sunlight of God’s presence. Just like a garden that’s left unattended will fill with weeds. Our lives can also grow cluttered if we neglect our spiritual care.

The Harvest 🍇

Every gardener dreams of harvest time. The taste of fresh tomatoes, the joy of flowers in full bloom, the satisfaction of seeing life flourish.

Isaiah 58:11 promises: “You shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.”

In our spiritual lives, the harvest comes in many ways. We find peace in difficult times. We encounter joy in relationships. We experience love that overflows to others. Sometimes we see the results. Sometimes, the seeds we plant today will be harvested by someone else in the future.

Trusting the Master Gardener 🌿

The good news is we don’t have to tend this garden of life alone. God is the Master Gardener. He knows what needs pruning, what needs watering, and when it’s time to harvest.

Our job is to prepare the soil, plant good seeds, and nurture them with God’s help. The rest, we can trust to Him.

So let me ask you:

• What’s one “weed” in your life that God might be inviting you to pull out?
• And what’s one “seed” you can plant this week—an act of kindness, a word of encouragement, a moment of prayer?

Let’s tend our gardens faithfully—because in God’s timing, the harvest will surely come.

✨ Prayer:

Lord, Master Gardener of our lives, prepare the soil of our hearts. Pull out the weeds of fear and worry. Help us plant good seeds and water them with Your love. Shine Your light upon us so that we may grow in faith, bear fruit, and bless others. Amen.

🌻 What about you?
What helps you keep your spiritual garden healthy? Share in the comments—I’d love to hear how God is growing good things in your life!

Rev. Barbara Creelman aka Doll