It’s spring, and the time of year gardeners anticipate. Getting outdoors, grabbing the garden gloves and tools. Going after the weeds early in the season is helpful to maintain the ground so the desired plants and vegetables can thrive. Sometimes the ground can be more difficult, and the clumps of dirt can be resistant to a hand breaking it into fine particles. Seeds and young plants can grow and thrive in powdery soil more easily than unmoving compressed dirt. I am pleased when the soil is cooperative, and my hands can move through the flower bed without having to get the “claw”. Pounding out clumps takes much more effort and I don’t last as long. I want to take a break or throw the tools back into the trug and come back another day. Never the best idea since the soil condition doesn’t generally improve on its own. 

So it is with the cultivation of our souls. Jesus is the Master Gardener who lovingly, and sometimes firmly, works the soil of our hearts. When I cooperate with the cultivation, my heart is like the powdery soil in my flower beds. Is the soil of my heart like clay? Water is needed, and clay prevents the absorption of what is being poured in. Is my heart mostly sand; dry and low in spiritual nutrients? Sand is gritty and can be abrasive. That is not what I desire. I do not want to be known as being an abrasive woman. 

What I want and need is the examination of my heart soil. How do I even begin the process? I’m going to provide a step-by-step plan that mirrors tending garden soil. 

#1 - What is the condition of your soil? Get down on your knees and ask the Master Gardener to reveal its condition. Listen!

#2 - What needs to be removed? Are there hard lumps of clay? What about rocks and twigs? Stay focused on one area at a time. Does time on social media need to be more controlled or eliminated? What are the rocks and twigs in your garden?

#3 - Take the time to do the painstaking prep. The tendency is to rush. Don’t do it! This is time well spent. We cannot hurry plants into producing a crop and God will not force growth without our cooperation.

#4 - What do you want to grow? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23) are all fruits of the Spirit. I want them all, yet God knows what I need and when. I want to invest in listening time!

#5 - Healthy nutrients can be added to your soil to grow a fruit-producing crop. We removed debris and unhealthy matter from the soil. What nutrients are missing in your heart soil? Scripture reading is a powerhouse, as is listening. Bible apps have audio versions and are great additions as well.

#6 - I work and prepare the soil. I add nutrients, plant food, and healthy soil. I carefully plant seeds and gently plant seedlings. If I stopped there, what happens naturally would leave my garden wilted and lifeless. Wanting a crop is not enough. I commit to investing the time and effort required.

#7 - My commitment requires time daily. Weeding, watering, feeding, and protecting the plants becomes a joy! Why? Because there is joy in the garden. Life began there and life is sustained in the garden. Working in the soil of my garden is a gift. Our Master Gardener working in our heart garden is a gift. Both are a commitment I choose to make. My prayer is for each one of you. May our fruit bring joy to our Father. 

Are you a gardener or is the Farmer’s Market more your idea of harvesting? How is the soil of your heart doing? Is it ready for planting, producing fruit, or full of weeds? Seasons change in nature and our lives, but intentionality is required to grow nutrient-rich food.