Lazy Garden – #86

The beginning of each spring and summer bring a newness that I love. Flowers. Green grass. Edged flower beds. Weeded garden.

But as summer marches on and August rounds out making room for September, I notice something every year.

I get a bit tired and bored of my yard work duties.

Really, I become straight up lazy. 

Weeds that begin to sprout up are looked over instead of pulled. Flowers that are hanging limp from thirst are left instead of watered. And the once well trimmed edges of the beds are looking a bit rough.

My well manicured flower beds and lawn have seen better days.

Laziness.

So what happens when we get lazy with our spiritual life?

CS Lewis writes in his book The Screwtape Letters, “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,…Your affectionate uncle, Screwtape.” 

Rarely, as believers, do we set out with a plan to let evil, darkness and sin rule our hearts and minds, but if we aren’t careful, we can slowly get there without hardly a notice.

The Bible describes Satan as a deceiver and crafty in nature. While he is far from having the wisdom of God, Satan is not dumb and he knows that when we become apathetic in our spiritual walk, it’s good soil for him to work. 

So my question for each of you to consider before just moving on from this blog is – is there an area in my spiritual life where I am becoming lazy? 

Maybe your bed is so cozy that you justify not getting up early to meet with the Lord. “Just one day” you think, but before you know it, days, weeks or even months have gone by without you prioritizing that time.

Maybe you have struggled with lust in the past. You have been so careful to guard yourself, but there is a new show out that you really want to watch even though it has scenes in it that will stir up those thoughts again. 

Maybe someone is irritating you at church and instead of going to them about it, you decide that it’s ok to talk about it with a friend…or two…or three. The gossip train doesn’t start on its own, somebody’s gotta drive it!

Satan is not going to go after a well tended garden, he’s going to come around when the garden has been left for awhile.

Where is laziness happening and weeds are starting to come up?

The good thing about a garden is that though weeds may rise up, the gardener can go in and yank them out!

Your life may be full of weeds. Your heart may be an untended mess. But God, the perfect gardener, will pull those weeds out if you let Him and He will restore your life to the beautiful garden that He had been working on. 

It takes time. It takes effort. And it takes surrender.

But God will do it. Just let Him. 

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Acts 3:19.

God, you are the perfect gardener. Give me eyes to see where I am being lazy and sin is starting to bud. Forgive me. Restore me.