Time for a Little Gardening …

Recently, I drove by a restaurant near my home.  Just a few months ago, this restaurant was a bustling, thriving, active place.  Often times I would drive by and see the parking lot full and people coming and going.  All of a sudden, the restaurant closed.  Poof.  It was empty. As I drove by the other day,  I was compelled to stop and take a picture of what had become of this thriving business. It was an overgrown mess.

How quickly the building, while unattended, had become overtaken by plants and weeds.  The awning that once greeted folks into a welcoming dining experience was torn and shredded.  The parking lot had weeds growing in every crack and crevice.  The plants that once looked trimmed and intriguing now covered the windows and looked out of control. I stopped,  I stared, I cried. My heart was sad and my soul was burdened. It sounds crazy but this scene literally made me sad.  I sat there wondering, what was going on. I kept thinking how much more can my heart take?

Amongst the sadness that has blanketed the last few months; Sheltering in Place, fear of catching the virus, racial injustice, protesting and anger, economic unrest, isolation, lost jobs etc. the reality of this empty restaurant, and what had become of it, jarred my soul in a deep deep place. Hmmm, interesting. Why was it making me sad?

In one sense, it was just an empty building, but in another sense it was a picture of a reality.  The reality of what happens when things are unattended to.  The grass and weeds and overgrown plants prompted questions into my heart and mind.  This restaurant may be empty, the building may no longer have a landscaper that comes to water, trim, cut back, and weed out the unwanted weeds but … what about my heart and soul? What a weird connecting thought.  Until I thought deeper …

How quickly I have seen my soul move from healthy, responsive and alive to a soul that feels numb, silent, and easily overcome with the weeds of anxiety and worry.  One day I can feel close to the Lord and see him working all around me, and the next thing I know I feel distant from the Lord.  I can move from being drawn to God’s word, moved by his truth and feeling his presence, to suddenly feeling unmotivated, distant and alone. In a span of a a short time I can be aware of others needs, serve those around me and respond in a loving way.  The next thing I know I am complaining about my needs, focused on my self and gossiping about others. If I am honest, my heart at times has also quickly become overgrown with stress, lonliness, distractions, Netflix, numbing out and wasted time.  It happens before I even recognize that it is happening.

The truth is my soul is a living being  It was created to need a constant touch from my savior, a word of truth, a watering from the Word of God, a trimming from the Spirit of God to continue to grow and be healthy.  Most days I do not pay attention to the condition of my heart.  I fail to recognize when my heart is distracted and unattended. When I take the time to stop, pay attention, take a breath,  pull back,  allow my heart to see beyond the daily stresses, sadness, and the unwillingness to “see”,  I am able to see from a new vista. This allows me the opportunity to choose to invite the Spirit into my current perspective. When this happens, I see the gardening that needs to happen; the need to pull up  weeds of sin that has been allowed to linger, and grow, and entangle my heart. The overgrowth of “things” and anxiety that have chocked out my heart. With a breath of fresh air I am able to see with clarity the areas of my heart that have become unattended. I am also able to see my heart’s protected, and limited, view from the overgrowth that I have allowed to grow in my heart.

Let’s name it what it is friends …. at times we have overgrowth and ripped up awnings in our hearts.  Instead of being led to green pastures and staying awhile to listen to the Sprit of God, we keep ourselves busy buying things, gossiping, watching TV, and surfing social media. We avoid the condition of our hearts and seek after things that will give us temporary security or feelings of happiness. When we do this we become blinded to our choked out inundated souls that need spiritual trimming and eternal watering. What is the result of all of that?  A subconscious feeling of restlessness, irritability, tiredness, overreaction, surface conversations and a general seeking after earthly things to fill our overgrown, unattended soul. It’s time to pull some weeds and to cut back some overgrowth in our hearts.

This is serious.  Weeds are dangerous.  Overgrown plants can destroy a building in a blink of an eye.  Avoiding taking care of our hearts is also serious business.  My heart needs to be with God. To be silent and listen. To fill my mind with truth. To allow the Spirit to bring me peace and love and contentment.  My guess is, so does yours.