I QUIT!

Got a short and sweet post this morning after God put a very clear visual in my head. Last night, I was trying to encourage a friend who had become discouraged by unappreciated efforts of kindness. I sent her Galatians 6:9, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we ^B)”>do not grow weary.” Great advice, right? 


Then God turned that one right around on me! I had become discouraged with some “doing good” because of some negativity and lack of understanding. As soon as I popped my eyes open this morning, this is the image God put in my head. 


Imagine a gardner who has tended to their field diligently. Every time a weed popped up, the gardner was there to yank it up. If the soil got hard, the gardner took a hoe to it and broke it up. When the drought set in, the gardner watered the soil. Imagine this going on all through the growing season – the gardner is now facing the hot summer sun and hard soil because of lack of rain. The gardner is losing heart because as hard as he has worked, there is not yet any produce to reap. All of a sudden, one little weed pops up. The gardner loses it – just throws up his hands and declares, “I am done!”


Over the next few days, produce starts appearing on the plants, but no one is available to harvest it. The one weed that caused the gardner to have a “come apart” and quit has now multiplied and is starting to choke out the productive plants. Over the next few weeks, the produce is coming in, but it is rotting in the garden because no one is there to harvest it. What a waste! 


What if the gardner had hung in there a few more days? He would have reaped the fruit of his labors. So in my own situation, I am challenged to keep tending the garden and not lose heart, because the fruit may start appearing tomorrow. The one little weed that about pushed me over the edge will not deter the work and I will continue to focus my efforts on taking care of the plants that will eventually produce sweet fruit. 


Luke 8:15 says, “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.” Lord, break up the hard soil in my heart so that I will bear much fruit for Your kingdom. Help me focus on You, not the weeds!